Naruto, the greatest MVP
by jr3carr
Summary: After watching a Laker's game at a young age, Naruto dreams of becoming the best basketball player to ever play. no shinobi's. modern story. M to be safe
1. Character profile

**Just now remembering to create a character profile for Naruto... I'm still new to this so please don't flame me on it**

 **Naruto character profile**

Name: Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze

Jersey number: 9

Position/s: Point guard/Small forward

Height: 6ft

Weight: 155 lb (70kg)

Nationality: American (Japanese heritage)

High school: Konoha Institutional

Languages: English and Japanese

Date of birth: 10 October 1991

Place of birth: Los Angeles


	2. Chapter 1

**I do not own any of the Naruto characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto. Also, shout out to** _ **fox sage123,**_ **as this piece of work is based off of** _ **Naruto My Career.**_

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects - _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 1**

(2009)

Glancing up at the shot clock, 14.7 seconds left in the second quarter. He dribbles the ball with his left hand just beyond half court, waiting for his teammates to get into position to start the play. He euro steps the ball to his right hand while holding up his left and making a fist, signalling for a screen.

As he drives towards his right the defender stays on him. Kiba runs up to provide the screen. Getting rid of the defender he accelerates towards the hoop. Spotting Shikamaru standing in the leftside corner just beyond the 3-point line, Naruto performs a pump fake. Then tossing a bounce pass directly under the defender who jumped for the block into Shika's waiting hands.

Shika goes through the motions and releases the ball just as the buzzer goes off. The ball hits nothing but net and gives the team three more points.

Halftime score: Konoha high 44 – 68 West Philadelphia highschool.

As the teams walk off the court to the locker rooms, Naruto listens to the crowed in the packed sports hall chant for both teams. Glancing behind his team's bench, he looks at the friends and family that came out to support him for the final game of his high school career. All of them decked out in the Konoha colours: red and black.

Sakura, Ino and Tenten are waving the school flags and leading the rest of the supporters in cheer spirit. His godmother Tsunade, beating up his godfather Jiriaya, probably because he was caught leering at the cheerleaders again. His surrogate sisters, Shizune and Rin, are sitting next to each other, happily talking amongst themselves while their fiancés Obito and Kakashi, his surrogate brothers, both trying to discreetly read the smut book, Icha Icha Paradise, that made his godfather so rich.

Finally, he finds whom he has been searching for. His beautiful daughter, Himawari. Sitting on the lap of his Jiji, Hiruzen. A little girl of just two years old, with indigo coloured hair styled into princess curls. Big adorable violet eyes look back at him with love and admiration. Face lit up with so much excitement causing her whisker birthmarks, two on each cheek, to become even more pronounced. Wearing one of his training tops with the number nine on the front, looking more like a blanket on her small frame, and happily waving around her foam finger.

He waves to her while walking back down the tunnel to his team's locker room. Stepping inside, he can feel the tense atmosphere emanating from the rest of the team. Sasuke unties his shoes and rubs out the kinks in his feet. Kiba sits on the bench rest his head against his locker. Shika takes off the tape around his fingers and wraps them up with fresh ones. Choji just sits there munching on energy bars he normally keeps in his locker. The rest of the team spread out each going to rest in front of their own locker. No one says a word as they all get lost in their own thoughts.

Naruto walks to his locker and sits down with a wet towel on his head to cool down. His thoughts take him back to the day that changed his life. The day he truly fell in love with basketball.

 _(flashback begin)_

" _GO LAKERS!", shouted a little boy. The three whisker marks on each cheek making him resemble a little fox as he jumps up and down in his seat. Shouting and chanting to the beat and rhythm created by the crowed jam packed inside the Staples Center Arena._

" _Naruto! For the last time, sit your ass down on your seat before I beat the discipline into you!", shouts a beautiful woman with violet eyes and red hair reaching all the way down to her lower back. Just by one quick glance anyone can see that this woman is an angel of beauty. Wearing flat sandals, a pair of tight jeans that hug her legs and ass in all the right places, and a long sleeve white top underneath a Lakers basketball top, Kushina Uzumaki Nmaikaze was definitely a woman that turned heads wherever she went._

" _Now, now Kushi-chan. Naruto is just excited to be at his first live basketball game. I say we let him have his fun", placated the handsome young man sitting on her other side. Standing at 6.2ft with a very athletic build while waving a Lakers foam finger in the air, spiky blonde hair with two bangs framing a totally unblemished face, a pair of the brightest blue eyes and a cocky smirk on his face filled with self confidence, Minato Namikaze sends a smile and wink to his excitable five year old son._

" _Kaa-san, Tou-san, its starting! Look! Look! Its MJ!", shouted the almost clone like child of Minato. If it wasn't for the whisker like birthmarks on his face, little Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze could have passed for his father in his younger days._

 _Minato noticed that as the game between the LA Lakers and Chicago Bulls went on, Naruto would make less and less noise. Eventually when the game ended Naruto, who was sitting quietly in his seat, turned towards his parents. The look in his eyes was so intense and focused that Kushina could not help but compare it to the gaze of the legendary nine tailed demon fox, Kurama. Naruto would always ask to be told bedtime stories about the legendary fox that was said to be greatest and most powerful creature in the folklore of the shinobi of old._

" _Tou-san, kaa-san, one day I will stand down on that basketball court and everyone will know that I am the best", Naruto said in a deceptively calm voice. The sheer determination shining in those bright blue eyes of their five year old son, left them no other choice but to believe that their son would accomplish exactly what he just told them._

" _I have no doubt that you will, Sochi."_

" _That is really what you want to accomplish then your mother and I will help you in anyway we can. We will be right there supporting you every step of the way."_

 _(flashback end)_

Support him they did. From that day onwards, you would be very hard pressed to find Naruto without a basketball nearby. He would go down to the local park and play basketball nearly everyday. He would join in on any pick me up games or challenge players to one on one games.

It was a combination of his competitive nature and the constant playing and losing against older, stronger, and faster opponents that Naruto got the drive and mind set to continually improve himself.

During those early years before middle school, Naruto would beg his parents to sign him up for all the basketball camps that would happen during the school holidays. It was there that people started to notice that he was ahead of his peers when it came to actually playing the game. Naruto would have a way with dribbling the ball that just could not be taught. It came from hours and hours of playing streetball with all the older boys in the local park. When the head coach saw just how good Naruto was at handling and passing the ball, he immediately made Naruto assume the point guard position.

It was at that time that Naruto truly showed the amount of raw potential he possessed. He had a way of just knowing where and when to pass the ball so that his teammates were in the best position to score the basket.

Growing up, he idolised all the great passers and point guards in the NBA. His favourite being Allen Iverson. Naruto wanted to be the type of player that his teammates could always depend upon. He began playing a style of basketball that was based around drawing the defenders towards himself and then passing the ball towards an open teammate.

That is not to say that Naruto couldn't score when he wanted to. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Due to playing so much streetball, there was rarely someone who could beat him in a one on one. The more basketball he played the better he got. He was quite a bit faster than others his age due to trying to keep up with all the older kids. His excellent dribbling and handling of the ball, fast reflexes and reaction times, combined with the excellent court awareness that just couldn't be taught, ensured that Naruto was well on his way to becoming one of the top up and coming basketball player in the country.

It was during one of those summer camps that he met a group of boys that would go on to become his lifelong friends.

Sasuke Uchiha, known for being the youngest son of Chief police officer Fugaku Uchiha. Sasuke always preferred playing the small forward position. Due to him having such good eyesight, he would watch his opponent intensely, waiting and searching for the best and quickest way to either shoot the ball, drive past an opponent, or steal the ball away. Sasuke was always a rival to Naruto due to them both having a competitiveness to be the best. Although hardly ever agreeing on anything off the court, on the court the pair of them would go on to become one of the most dangerous duo's in high school, as well as collage, basketball.

Kiba Inuzuka, son and heir to the very well known Inuzuka veterinary clinic. Kiba was their aggressive power forward. Always driving at the opponents. His wild, animalistic playing style ensured that he never stood still. Kiba was always running up and down the court, either to help out with defense or be the one to score a basket.

Choji Akimichi, son of world renowned Chef Akimichi, was the team's big center. His size and strength meant that he was very good at holding the ball and driving to the net with brute strength. He also was their best defensive player, always making it difficult for the opposition to score baskets from the paint.

Lastly, we have Shikamaru Nara, the team's lazy shooting guard. Shika is the son of leading traditional medicine specialist, Shikaku Nara. Even though both father and son of the Nara family were both extremely lazy, they were two of the smartest people Naruto has ever met. They always looked at things from a logical point of view and had great analysing skills. If either one of them ever put the time or effort into a task, you can be rest assured you would get nothing but the best results.

As a result of all the boys having Japanese heritage, they always stuck together. Choosing to be on the same team and always standing up for one another if there was ever a fight. Always sleeping over at each other's house on the weekend became a regular occurrence. Due to the boys being such a close-knit group, their families eventually started to meet up and have gatherings after each basketball game. Having been so close together for years that they began seeing each other as brothers, the boys decided that by the end of their second year of high school they would all get a tattoo to represent they undying friendship. As time went on, others would start to join the group, namely the girlfriends of the boys.

However, not all of his childhood was a happy memory…

 _(flashback begin)_

" _Baa-chan, I'm home!", shouted a 13 year old Naruto as he steps inside his godmother's home. Due to Minato and Kushina travelling away on business so much, Naruto would often spend days sleeping over at Tsunade's, so much so that he even had his own room._

" _In the living room." Naruto drops his school bag next to the front door and takes his shoes off. Placing them next to his discarded bag he goes looking for everyone. He walks in on a near distraught Tsunade being comforted by Jiriaya._

" _Baa-chan, what's wrong?"_

" _Naruto, come here. Sit down. We have something important to speak about", says Jiriaya. Naruto looks at them wearily. Tsunade wont look at him while Jiriaya looks like he might break down any second._

" _Guys, what's going on? What happened?"_

 _Naruto was starting to panic. He has never seen either of them like this before. He sits down next to Tsunade, taking her hand. He looked up at Jiriaya who got ready to speak._

" _Naruto, on their way back from West Philadelphia", Jiriaya takes a shuddering breath, "your parents were involved in a drive by shooting. The culprit has been caught and arrested but neither Minato nor Kushina survived. I'm so sorry Naruto. I wish it di-"_

 _(flashback end)_

Try as he might, Naruto really couldn't remember all that much after the announcement of his parents' death was made. It was all just a blur of funeral arrangements and people walking up to him to give their condolences. He didn't even have the will to pick up a basketball anymore.

But through it all, his friends and family stuck by him. Never leaving him to wallow in self-pity for too long. Even though the next couple of months were some of the hardest he had ever have to go through, there was always one constant. That one person who was glued to his side every step of the way. Being a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold has they buried his parents, an ear to listen to him complain about the unfairness of it all, and someone to help him pick up the ball that at one point gave him nothing but happiness.

Hinata Hyuga was the very rock that kept him grounded through it all. Without her, there would have been no way he would have passed the school semester. She made him realise that he was now playing basketball for more than just himself. He was playing for his parents as well. Hoping to make them proud.

And if that wasn't enough, she gave him Himawari. His beautiful baby girl, sitting out there supporting her dad. Yes, without Hinata he would have never gotten back to his happy, fun loving self.

"Alright team, listen up!" shouted Iruka, the team's coach and manager. "I know we are all under pressure. This is a big game, the National Championship. If that wasn't enough, we are playing against our old time rivals, West Philly. Honestly guys, we can and should be doing so much better. We are letting them dictate the game. We are letting them hold up the ball and slow play down. That's not how we play! Take the ball away from them and play the way we know how to play! Show them that when that final buzzer sounds off, Konoha will be standing at the top as the best in the nation!" The team listens to every word said by Iruka, gaining confidence as his speech goes on. "Captains! Lead us out."

Sasuke and Naruto stand up and walk to the front of the room. Looking at every single member, they see the fire in his eyes. The determination to take back the trophy they stole from us the previous year.

"Alright guys, I know things look bad. We're down by 24 points, not an easy score to make up. Yes, they won the first half but they aren't better than us! It's time we showed, not just them, but the rest of the country as well, that Konoha is the best high school in the nation! Like coach said, lets play our own game. As soon as they get the ball, we take it right back! Seniors! This is the last chance we will get to play together! To leave behind a legacy!" Each member nodding his head to what is being said by Naruto. As he lowers his head to calm himself down, the rest of the team could practically feel the air around him change. They all knew that their captain was now switching gears. As he lifts his head up they all get a good look at his intense gaze. The gaze, that gave him the nickname Kitsune. "You all know how my parents died. You all know the amount of anger I feel towards Philly. I refuse to lose to them!" The team could feel the raw emotion rolling off of Naruto. "We WILL win this game! We WILL win this championship! We WILL prove them all, here and now, that we ARE the best!"

The team, hyped up from the emotional speech made by their normally composed captain, starts cheering in excitement and determination. Naruto looks towards Sasuke and slaps his back.

"Leads us out Red Eyes." Sasuke just gives Naruto his famous Uchiha smirk and walks to the tunnel while chanting.

"1! 2! 3!"

"Konoha!"

"4! 5! 6!"

"Work hard!"

As the team gets closer to the end of the tunnel they can hear the noise from the crowd get louder and louder. While the rest of the team runs onto the court, ready for the third quarter, Naurto hangs back. Clasping his hands together he sends a quick prayer to all those who have passed on.

Once he's done, calmly walks out the tunnel with his head lowered. As he comes into view, the crowd of Konoha supporters start chanting his name.

"Kitsune! Kitsune! Kitsune!"

Stopping just before the court, Naruto lifts his head and lets his eyes roam the entire stadium. The crowd reaches fervour pitch. Cheering louder than ever before. One thought running through all their heads: our Ace is back!

As soon as he steps onto the court, all the players stop and stare at what they now know to be the most dangerous player. They can all see, just by his relaxed posture and the way he makes his way over to his team bench, that they are about to witness something amazing.

"Alright! Bring it in, bring it in!" shouts Iruka. "We are going to be using a tight defense. Wait for them to cross halfway and then press for the ball. Choji and Sasuke will be defending the inside lane. I want no easy layups.", Choji nods while finishing his last energy bar. Sasuke lets out the famous Uchiha grunt.

"Uh"

"Naruto, Kiba , and Shika. I want the three of you to roam around the three-point line. Force them into making mistakes." Shika nods his head with a seldom seen serious look upon his face, while Kiba starts bouncing on his feet with a excited smile.

"Don't worry Sensei. We'll bite down hard on their asses!" Kiba replies with his normal cocky attitude.

"Lastly", Iruka passes to ensure they are all paying attention to him, "I will leave the offensive to our Ace on the court. Follow his lead on what you need to do."

All eyes turn towards Naruto. They all could see the look of absolute concentration his face holds as he stares at the opposing team, while tightening the wristbands he always wears, a birthday, gift given to him by his daughter.

"We play all out. Run and gun. Score as quickly as possible and run back to set up the defence. If you get tired, signal Sensei to rotate you for a fresh teammate. Whatever you do, do not force any shots. If you are in a good position to score I'll make sure the ball ends up in your hands. For those sitting on the bench, even though you aren't on the court with the rest of us, be ready to go at any moment. We are depending on you for support when we need it."

 _ **Bzzzzzzzzz…**_

The buzzer sounds of while the starting members for each team take their positions on the court. The crowd roars in anticipation.

Philly starts with the inbound and passes it to their Ace player who is wearing number 4. He glances at Naruto as an arrogant smirk appears on his face.

"I saw your daughter in the stand." He says. "Such a shame that she will have to see her loser daddy lose today." The player laughs.

Naruto, not letting his anger get the best of him, takes a giant step away from the player and gets into a comfortable stance.

Suddenly, Phyilly's ace place feels an immense amount of pressure drop onto his shoulders. As he gazes into Naruto's eyes, he feels a shiver go down his spine. Instead of driving forward like he would have normally done, he passes the ball to an open teammate who goes up for a jump shot.

Suddenly, Sauske appears out of nowhere and smacks the ball down court. The crowd roars its approval of the block done by their favourite Uchiha.

Naruto grabs the ball and races down the court. As he passes the three-point line, a defender appears to slow him down. He fakes a drive and at the last second passes the ball through his legs to Shikamaru, who is right behind him.

As Naruto turns to head back to defence, he doesn't even watch the arc of the ball. Already knowing that Shika wouldn't miss. The reaction of the crowd is one of awe and admiration for the no look pass by Naruto.

The first basket set the pace for the rest of the quarter. The defence letting in only a handful of baskets while their offense controlled the game completely. Naruto would drive towards the basket, drawing defenders to him, then pass the ball to an open teammate. A lot of the time uses fancy flicks and no look passes.

The crowd, announcers, and scouts were in awe of the display being put on by Konoha's number 9, many believing him to be laying down his claim to be the best high school basketball player in the country.

As the quarter winds down, Naruto is dribbling the ball just beyond the three-point line. The opponent's number 4 reaches in to steal the ball. Naruto crosses the ball behind his back, fakes a drive towards the inside lane, and takes a huge step back behind the three-point line, causing his defender to trip over his own feet and fall down. Naurto shoots the ball and turns around as soon as he releases.

The crowd quietens down and everyone hears the ball catch nothing but net. Everyone is on their feet after that display of amazing ball skills.

Philly inbounds the ball and rushes down the court. The tight defence by Konoha forces their point PG to force a pass, which is then intercepted by Naruto.

He races down the court with no one able to catch him. He quickly comes to a stop behind the three-point like, jumps, and releases the ball. As he lands, he keeps his posture and watches the ball rebound off the backboard into the hoop.

The crowd cheers as he runs back to his defence. With the quarter almost over Philly rushes their shot and the ball is rebounded by Choji, who passes to Naruto. He glances at the scoreboard: 20 seconds left.

He passes the ball to Sasuke and slowly walks to half court as he watches Philly's defence. With ten seconds left he calls for the ball. As soon as the ball is in his hands, he holds it against his right hip and uses his left hand to make a placating motion. Surprising everyone stops and stare, unable to believe he had the balls to do that in the middle of the championship game. With two seconds left, he jumps and releases the ball from half court. Everyone but Naruto stares in astonishment as the ball goes in just as the buzzer sounds off, before breaking out in fervour pitched cheering. Even the Philly supporters are cheering in amazement at what the country's number 1 high school is doing.

Naruto waves his arms in the air, hyping up the crowd even more before running to his teammates for some celebrations.

End of third quarter: Konoha 73 – 78 West Philadelphia.

Naruto sits down on the bench as a damp towel is placed over his head. He tunes everyone and everything out as he tries to regain his breath after playing with such aggressiveness for a full quarter.

"Alright, gather around so we can go over the plan for the fourth quarter!" commands Iruka sensei. "Naruto and Choji will be sitting out the first half of the quarter since they played the full third. Sasuke will take over PG, Shino takes over SF, Shika and Kiba will keep their positions and Sai will fill in for Choji at centre."

 _ **Bzzzzzzz…**_

"Alright boys, get out there and try your best to close the gap until we get both Naruto and Choji in the game. Sasuke, lead us out." Says Iruka.

"1! 2! 3!"

"Konoha"

"4! 5! 6!"

"Work hard"

As the fourth quarter begins, Naruto glances up and looks behind him. Seeing his beautiful two year old daughter happily smiling and laughing always manages to put a smile on his face.

Himawari sees her father looking at her and waves enthusiastically to him. He smiles and blows kisses at her, missing the fact that Kakashi has caught the moment on camera.

At the halfway mark of the quarter, Iruka calls a timeout.

Konoha 79 – 83 West Philadeplia.

Naruto tightens his laces then stands up and he takes the towel off his head. With a final glance back at his daughter, he faces the court and prepares himself for what is to come. He walks up to Iruka for last minute instructions.

"We are down four points. We have one more time out left while they have none. With you and Choji on the court again, we have our best possible defensive team. When you get the ball, walk it up the court. Don't rush things. Make the basket and the focus on defence." Iruka tells him.

"Don't worry sensei. I don't ever plan on losing to Philly." Replies Naruto with utmost confidence.

Konoha starts with the inbound and Naruto slowly dribbles it up court while holding up his index on his left hand. Indicating that he wants to go one on one with their ace player.

"Easy boys. Relax and move around."

He sees Sasuke open and passes him the ball as he runs left while the rest of the team runs right. As the defender closes on Sasuke, he lobs the ball back to Naruto who jumps and catches it, now completely alone on the left side of the court with the opposition number 4.

The crowd rushes to its feet and roars in approval at finally seeing a proper one on one battle between both teams' best players.

The defender gets into his preferred guarding position while naruto take a quickly look at the shot clock. 18 seconds left.

Glancing at his opponent, Naruto drive fakes to the left and watches the defender twitch for the bait. Done sizing up his opponent, Naruto drives hard to the right, toward the free-throw line. As his opponent follows him Naruto performs a crossover between his legs so the ball ends up in his left hand. The defender, seeing this, reaches in to try and steal the ball ball Naruto quickly performs a behind the back spin move that takes him back to the free-throw line. Seeing he has a bit of space, Naruto jumps back and falls into a fade away. As he releases the ball, the defender jumps to block but cannot reach in time.

 _ **Swish**_

The crowd roars its approval at the display of skills put forth by Naruto. With little more than a minute left to play, Philly inbound and slowly walk the ball up court.

After waiting down the shot clock, Philly rushes a shot that bounces of the rim. Choji catches the rebound and passes the ball to Sasuke who races up the right of the court. As he gets to the 30ft mark, he suddenly lobs the ball towards the hoop.

Everyone gasps in surprise as Naruto comes flying out of no where, with his forehead almost touch the rim, to catch the ball with his right hand and slam it down to finish off a perfect alley oop play.

The crowd goes insane! Unbelieving of the fact that someone so small could climb so high into the air. As Philly inbound the ball, Shika immediately falls the PG to stop the clock at 5.3 seconds.

Konoha 83 – 83 West Philadelphia.

The PG for Philly makes both free-throws. Konoha inbounds the ball, rushes to half court, and quickly call their last time out, stopping the clock 0.9 seconds.

Konoha 83 – 85 West Philadelphia.

No one in the arena is sitting down as the championship game enters into its final play. As the buzzer goes off to signal the end of timeout, path teams take the court.

Naruto heads over to the right side of the court and tries to calm his breathing, waiting for the ref to hand the ball over to Sasuke who will be inbounding. As the ball lands in Sasuke's hand, all the players on the court start running around frantically. Kiba runs over to Naruto to perform a screen on his defender. As Naruto loses his man he rushes towards Sasuke. Sasuke fakes to Shika and sends the ball to Naruto. As the ball touches his hands, Naruto turns, jumps, and releases the ball…

 _ **Bzzzzzzzz…**_

Everyone in the Konoha Sports Arena watches the arc of the ball with baited breath as it reaches the hoop…

 _ **Swish**_

* * *

 **So leave your comments and ideas in the comment section. i would just like to point out that this is my first fanfic. I fell in love with anime by watching Naruto and i also got hooked on Kuroko no bask (definitely check it out if you haven't already). I plan on make this a long pic and I will try to update as quickly as possible but research needs to be done for a lot of ideas i will be using for this story.**

 **Till next time**


	3. Chapter 2

**I do not own any of the Naruto characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 2**

Naruto stands as still as a statue. Staring in disbelief at the ball that's bouncing under the hoop. As he looks around him, looking past the rushing teammates and fans trying to be the first to reach him, he can hear nothing but the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears.

He finally sees her and starts pushing his way through the increasingly elated crowd, ignoring all the calls of his name, flashes of cameras, and pats on his back. Reaching his little bundle of joy, he picks up Himawari and hugs her as close to his chest as he can. Feeling her little arms wrap around his neck and hearing her joyful laughter and congratulations in his ear, Naurto finally releases the tight hold he has kept on his emotions throughout the game and lets the tears of happiness flow freely down his cheeks.

"I did it Hima-hime. I won." He whispers to her as his friends, family, and teammates surround the father and daughter duo, knowing how much this moment means to Naruto and doing their best to make sure he gets his moment with his daughter.

Fulltime score: Konoha 86 – 85 West Philadelphia.

* * *

"Lets give another round of applause for this year's runner-up, West Philadelphia High School!" the announcer said through the mic, allowing the cheering to die down before continuing. "And now, the moment most of you in this arena have been waiting for. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, its with great pleasure and excitement that I introduce to you… Your 2009 National High School Basketball Champions…"

"KONOHAGAKURE INSTITUTION!", the near 5000 packed fans in the arena exclaimed in utter happiness, drowning out the voice of the announcer. As the team walks on to the stage waving their arms in the air the cheering of the fans reaches a fervour pitch. As each team member receives his meddle, their names are called out.

"Shikamaru Nara"

"Sasuke Uchiha"

"Choji Akamichi"

"Kiba Inuzuka…"

The list goes on until there is only one player left. Just Naruto is about to take his first step up the stairs he is told to wait. The announcer then calls out to the coaching staff and managers up for their meddles while every is confused as to while Naruto hasn't been called.

"Now before I announce the next player, I would just like to highlight a few key accomplishments this unique player has under his belt." The crowd grows quite in anticipation for who they know is being mentioned. "Along with four other members of the Konoha team, he has won two Junior High Championships, becoming MVP for both seasons and championship games. Born 10 of October 1991, he is the youngest person to represent the USA U21 national team at just 16 years of age. At 17 years of age, he is the youngest captain to ever lead the U21 national team to victory in the world tournament. Now at 18, he is part of the historical team to bring Konohagakure Institution its very first National Championship! Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you, the ace and team captain of your 2009 National Basketball Champions, finishing off the game with a triple double: 21 points; 18 assists; 11 steals, and this year's high school MVP," the crowd erupts into frantic cheers, "Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze!"

As he walks up the stairs, Naruto, stunned by so many people cheering for him, cannot keep the goofy smile off of his face. As the meddle is being put over his head, his teammates start to chant the name that has started to become associated with him around the world.

"Kitsune! Kitsune! Kitsune!"

Just before the MVP trophy is put in his hands, Naruto quickly runs off stage, leaving a stunned audience behind. Before anyone can say or do anything, Naruto jumps back on stage. Only difference is that he has an extra person with him, sitting comfortably on top of his shoulders. Himawari looks out towards the audience, completely oblivious on their comments about her father's act of adorableness, and happily waves at everyone.

As the MVP trophy is presented to him, Naruto crouches down until it is within reaching distance of Himawari. She reaches out and takes it out of the giiver's hands, balancing it on top of Naruto's head. Naruto turns towards the crowd as both he and his Hima-hime hold out peace signs to the cameras.

"Party at my place!", Jiriaya yells out to the team over the noise of the cheering crowd.

* * *

"So what's everyone's plans for next year?" Choji asked the group as they were sitting down by the pool just as the last of the guest left. The boys were all sleeping over at Jiriay's again. "I'm going to chef school, already got into the best school in LA. Think its time I start focusing on getting ready to take over the family business."

"Hn," the famous grunt draws their attention to the resident Uchiha, "got accepted to police academy. Three years time I'll graduate and be out in the force. Fives years after that I plan to become a detective. With my family history, Itachi-nii and Tou-san already part of the LAPD, I think I have a good chance of moving through the ranks quickly."

 _ **Bark bark bark**_

"Well, Akamaru just answered where we'll be heading. Becoming a vet will be long and difficult but its something I always wanted to become so I'll put in all the hard work." Contrary to popular belief, Kiba wasn't as dumb as he led people to believe… okay he was but he had to make sure that all his grades were top notch in order to get into veterinarian school.

"Troublesome…", the rest of the guys all snickered as they heard the famous line from a male of the Nara family. "Me and Ruto are going to UCLA on scholarships. Him on basketball and me cause I hear my grades are quite outstanding." The guys all roll their eyes at Shika's nonchalance mention of his grades. Even though he is one of the laziest people any of them have ever met, he still finished top of their marks wise. In fact, he would have been valedictorian if he didn't refuse the title stating, "Writing a speech is to troublesome."

Shika lays down next to the pool and gazes up at the stars with a contemplative look upon his face.

"I'm honestly thinking of becoming Ruto's agent for when he gets drafted into the NBA. He's going to need someone to look after the business side of things so he can focus on the playing aspect." The guys just nod their heads to that statement, none of them doubting for a second that Naruto won't turn pro. Sasuke suddenly perks up.

"Speaking of the dobe, where is Ruto?"

"Went to visit Hinata."

All four boys become silent after that. Each lost in his own thoughts of the future and events of the past.

* * *

Walking down a pathway whistling a merry tune along to the song playing through his earphones, Naruto stops and takes out the ear buds. Switching the music off he wraps the cord around his phone and puts it in his back pocket. Straightening his jacket and smoothing back his hair, Naruto carries on walking.

Thinking back to the party he can't keep the smile off his face. Himawari had such an amazing time, never taking off the meddle that she managed to steal from her father, that she fell asleep as soon as he put her to bed. He left Akamaru in the room to make sure someone disturbed her since that dog absolutely adored her.

Turning to his left he greets his parents and informs them that he'll be bringing Hima with him soon enough so that she could tell them all the new things she has done. He stares for a moment before clasping his hands together and saying a pray.

When he is done he continues on his way before coming to a stop again.

"Hey there Hinata-hime. It's been a couple of weeks since I last came to see you. Sorry about that, things have just been hectic with finals, collage applications, and the championship game all happening this month. We won by the way, by a single point." Naruto smiles sheepishly as he rubs the back of his neck. "We didn't really play so well during the first half. We were letting the pressure of the occasion get to us I guess…" he trails off remembering how badly they played. He shakes his head to clear his thoughts and get back on track. "In the dressing room, right before Iruka sensei made his speech, I couldn't help but remember something you once told…"

 _(flashback start)_

 _It's been 3 weeks since the funeral. Naruto hasn't spoken to anyone, has hardly been eating, and the rest of the gang are certain he has been having trouble sleeping. Last week was his first week back at school since he received the news of his parents' tragic death._

 _Many people around him, even those that weren't close to him at all, were seriously starting to get worried. The group tried everything to get him to open up but he would just give them a blank look and walk away after they finished speaking._

 _As he is laying in bed, his back facing the door while he stares blankly at the wall, he hears a knock on his door which he doesn't even acknowledge in the hopes that whoever is knocking will just leave him be. Unfortunately, the person isn't about to leave. Instead, he hears the sound of his door being opened and closed. Not too long after, he feels the compression of his bed right next to his head, indicating someone sitting down._

 _The moment of stillness is soon over by him feeling a hand run through his hair. He breathes deeply through his nose and cant help but notice the scent of lavender that has permuted the air around him, instantly letting him know who is in the room with him._

 _She doesn't say anything. Doesn't ask him how he is doing. Doesn't tell him everything will be okay. She doesn't say a single word. She just sits there, rubbing her hand through his hair. Letting him know that she isn't going to leave him to wallow in self-pity by himself._

 _Soon, Naruto can feel his eyes stinging with emotion. Trying as hard as he can, he can't seem to fight off the tears threatening to spill. Eventually, when it becomes too much to bare, one lonely tear slips out as he releases a heart-wrenching sob. It's almost like the first tear was the key opening a locked door to all his pent-up emotions. For those listening outside the door, trying to think of ways to help the young man who has come to mean so much to them, they are suddenly brought out of their thoughts as the sound of crying reaches their ears. Not just any crying. The type of crying that lets one know that the person is going through heartbreak. The type of wailing that lets one almost feel the amount of pain and suffering they person crying is going through._

" _Come on everyone. I think its best that we leave them be. At the moment, she is the only one to get any type of reaction out of him." Jiriaya states as he ushers everyone downstairs. Not one of them managing to keep their eyes dry from hearing someone sound so broken._

 _Back inside the room, Naruto clings to Hinata as if his life depends on it. She says nothing as she holds him. Allowing him to release everything that has been built up._

 _Eventually his wails turn into sobs, his sobs turn into laboured breathing, and laboured breathing turn into a few sniffs here and there. They have both lost track of how long they have stayed like that. Just laying there, taking in the other's presence._

" _I don't know what I'm going to do now Hinata-chan." Naruto says in a broken voice._

" _Why not continue to play basketball?" she asks in that soft angelic voice that holds nothing but love for him._

" _I don't know if I can. It was always something I wanted to do with my parents. Now that they are no longer here, I don't think I could give it as much effort anymore."_

" _Isn't that more reason to reach your goal?" Naruto looks at her in confusion, causing her to go deeper into her thought process. "Well, you aren't just playing for yourself now, Naruto-kun. I'm sure your parents, especially Kushina-Obaachan, wouldn't want you to quit. Not after all the effort all three of you have put in. I know for a fact that both of them dreamt of seeing your dream of being the best come true." Hinata states with absolute confidence. Surprising Naruto since she's normally a little timid and shy around him. "So I don't think you should quit because now you aren't just playing to achieve your dreams alone. You are carrying their hopes and dreams as well. Don't give up Naruto-kun."_

 _(flashback end)_

"…hehe, I think that was the first time you spoken to me without a single stutter. Surprised the hell out of me but it was that, that got me through the game today. It also opened my eyes to how much you really mean to me." Naruto stops talking as he feels his pocket vibrate. Taking out the phone, he switches it off without opening the message and places it back in his pocket. "Sorry about that. My phone has been going off ever since the game with collages wanting to offer scholarships even though I already decided on UCLA."

Naruto sits down and leans back on his arms so that he is gazing up at the clear night sky. Bringing his gaze back down, he lets out a wistful sigh.

"If I'm really honest with myself, I doubt I would have gotten half as far as I did without you. You practically lived with me and Baa-chan so that you could tutor me so that I wouldn't be held back that year. I remember your father not being very pleased with that. In fact, now that I think about it, that how we got together in the first place…"

 _(flashback begin)_

 _A 14 year old, almost 15, Naruto was shooting hoops in the park with Sasuke and Kiba. Shika was laying in the long grass, cloud watching, while Choji was eating his favourite pork chips._

 _Suddenly Naruto's phone goes off, distracting him and causing him to miss a shot. Running over, he checks the caller ID and answers with a goofy smile on his face that has the rest of the guys snickering at him._

" _Hey there, Hinata-chan. What's up?" he answers in with a cheerful voice._

" _Naruto-kun! I need you to come take me away from here!" Hinata answers in a frantic voice, instantly switching his mood from cheerful to deadly serious. The others, taking note of Naruto's change in demeanour, pack up their things and start walking toward him._

" _Hinata whats going?!" he shouts as he begins to run home, the others right behind him._

" _I l-l-locked myself in the b-b-b-bathroom." Hinata answers through stuttering breaths. "My f-f-father d-didn't want me to c-c-c-continue being around you and when I stood up to him he started hitting me. I m-managed to get away and into my bathroom. My chest hurts so much Naru-kun. Please, come sa-"_

" _Hinata-chan? Hinata?!" Naruto glances at the screen on his phone as it says the call has been disconnected. "Fuck! Guys we have to go get Hinata. She's in trouble and it sounds like her dad is beating her."_

 _The guys are shocked to hear this and start running faster to Naruto's house. As they turn the corner, they see Kakashi and Obito in garage, probably working on one of the many cars Jiriaya owns._

 _They both look up at the frantic boys. After hearing what's happening they all jump in two cars and are on the road._

" _Shikamaru, call Tsunade and tell her to get a room at the hospital ready. Sasuke, as soon as we get there, go to Obito, Kiba, and Choji. Make sure no one gets into the house. I'll take care Hiashi. Naruto, you go straight to Hinata and get her out of there as fast as you can." Kakasih gives out commands while weaving through traffic. The lazy look he normally has on his face replaced by a calm, deadly serious one that is rarely seen on him._

 _Getting to the house they all barge inside before splitting up to do their jobs. Naruto rushes into the living room where he can hear the sounds of his Hime's cries. Seeing Neji standing ready to kick Hinata, who is curled on the ground, Naurto roars in absolutely anger and shoulder barges Neji with all of his strength. The force of the impact against the wall was so devastating that Neji was knocked out instantly._

 _Crouching over Hinata is a protective stance; Naruto lifts his head up to stare at the rest of they Hyugas in the room. The look of absolute hatred and fury in those sky blue eyes is enough for all of them to take a step back in fear._

" _Take one more step towards her and kill you all myself." Naruto did not shout. In fact, he did not raise his voice at all. That statement was said with such a calm and certain voice that everyone who heard, including those that came to save Hinata, instantly froze where they stood. Too scared to move lest they incur the wrath of this creature, a true embodiment of pure anger and hatred._

 _The whimpering sound that came from the curled up form of Hinata brought Naruto out of the anger induced haze that covered his mind. Turning around and gently picking Hinata up, trying not to move her so much, he starts walking towards the entrance of the house. As he walks past the Hyuga family members, none of them move an inch to stop him. Even Hiashi cannot help but step aside as the killer intent rolls off of Naruto in waves. They all know that if they make one wrong move right now, Naruto wouldn't hesitate to kill them, consequences be damned._

 _Stopping next to Hiashi, Naruto tilts his head slightly so that Hiashi can look into one of his endless sky blue eyes that show him nothing but the amount of hate Naruto holds or him._

" _Touch her again… come anywhere near my Hime again… and I swear to you, you won't have to wait long to be reunited with your wife again." Naruto continues his walk out the house, his brothers forming a protective circle around him. Getting to the front door, he stops and tilts his head in a gesture of absolute innocence and curiosity._

" _I can't help but wonder what Himawari-kaachan would think of all you have done. I think I have finally found something that would've taken that beautiful smile off her face." Saying his final piece, Naruto leaves the house, leaving a shattered Hiashi, broken Neji, and stunned Hyuga family behind._

 _(flashback end)_

"Well… everything worked out for the best I guess." Naruto mumbles while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "After Sasuke's dad manage to get custody of you turned over to Tsunade-baachan, I finally worked up the nerve to tell you how I felt and I still can't believe you felt the same."

Naruto sits in silence for a while. Remembering the whole ordeal they had to go through.

"Oh! Before I forgot." Naruto reaches into his breast pocket and pulls out a photo. Leaning over, he places the photo in the box placed next to the flower vase. "That latest picture I put in the box for you to see is a photo of our daughter and I receiving the MVP trophy. Honestly, I don't think I deserve it. The whole season I have just been trying to get my groove back. I know I definitely could have played better." Naruto takes out a picture of him in the championship game. The picture captures his final shot; him in the air, just about to release the ball. Seeing the look of absolute concentration on his face, Naruto remembers that in the moment, all he saw was the hoop. He starts speaking again, without taking his eyes off the photo.

"The Kitsune…" Naruto chuckles at the name. "I can still remember why everyone started calling me that. Honestly, I have never been more terrified of anyone in my life! Yet, the last person I expected to be scared of came barging into the locker room…"

 _(flashback begin)_

 _(2007)_

 _Konoha were playing away against West Philadelphia. It was to be their first televised match as the Nation wanted to use its youngest basketball representative play. The last time there was so much hype surrounding a young up and coming athlete was when Lebron James was in high school. However, a lot of people watching the game, especially the sports analysts, were betting on Naruto folding under the pressure. None of them believed he could shine in front of so many people watching him._

 _To make matters worse, someone from Philly found out what happened to Naruto's parents and it spread through the stands at an alarming rate. During warm-up, the section Philly supports started chanting at Naruto._

" _Orphan! Orphan! Orphan!"_

 _Naruto was too shocked to move. His teammates had to drag him off to the locker room while the Philly supporters laughed at his distraught expression._

 _In the locker room everyone was fuming and talking arguing about cancelling the game while Naruto sat quietly in a the corner with a towel over his head. As the arguing is about to escalate, the locker room door bangs open, quickly and effectively silencing everyone in an instance._

 _In walks a very pregnant Hinata Senju, the look on her face promising pain to whoever gets in her way. Searching around the room she spots Naruto and, with help from a very nervous looking Jiriaya, makes her way over to him. Getting to him, she stands in front of him for a bit before suddenly tearing the towel off his head, scaring him in the process since he has never seen the look of pure anger on her face before. Grabbing his chin and forcing him to look into her eyes, she begins speaking in a quiet yet firm voice. It's almost a whisper but everyone can hear her perfectly._

" _Now you listen to me Naruto-kun. I will not allow you to just sit there and let those fucking excuses for human beings get away with insulting Minato-tousan and Kushina-baachan!" You could have heard a pin drop if one were to have fallen at that moment. Hinata, who has NEVER uttered a single curse word in her entire life, just swore in front of not just Naruto, but the entire basketball team as well as Jiriaya. "I don't give a damn how you do it. I honestly couldn't give a shit if you break them so badly they never pick up a basketball ever again in their entire life! Just make them pay for thinking that they could ever get away with insulting the closest people I have had as parents since my mother died!" Hinata finishes her plea with tears running down her face._

" _Uh-oh…" Shika, Sasuke, Kiba, and Choji all step away from Naruto. They have known him long enough to know when Naruto is too livid to be reasoned with._

 _As soon as Naruto saw the tears running down his Hime's face, he went dead still. If you were to ask those who were watching his face what they saw, they would all swear they saw the exact same thing._

" _His eyes changed, not in colour but in intensity. Looking into them at that moment was like looking into the eyes of a deadly demon just before its let out of its cage; you just know you are going to die."_

 _Wiping away Hinata's tears, Naruto stands up and walks towards the door_. _As he's about to step out, he stops and faces the room of people._

" _Give me the ball." He turns around and walks back out towards the court, quickly followed by Hinata and Jiriaya, who is crying anime tears because of how scared he is._

" _A pregnant hormonal induced angry Hinata terrifies me so much, I don't think I could eat anything for the rest of the game." All members of the basketball team, including Iruka sensei, solemnly nod their heads in agreement with Choji._

 _Walking down the tunnel, the cheers and chants of the Philly supporters get louder and louder. In their continued attempt to throw the opponents star player off his game, they are unknowingly throwing more and more fuel on the proverbial fire that is Naruto's anger._

 _As he steps out of the tunnel and into the light, the noise level in the stadium slowly but surely starts to decline. Even the announcers, sports and news reporters stop whatever they are doing. Looking at Naruto, everyone can feel the pressure rising. For those who know the feeling and have been lucky enough to witness it first hand, Naruto was giving off a feeling that reminded them of some of the greatest professional basketball players in the NBA; such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Allen Ivernson, and recently, Lebron James._

 _ **Bzzzzzzzzzt…**_

 _The buzzer goes off to signal the start of the game as both teams take the floor. Silence fills the arena, as both teams get ready for the tip-off. Philly's star player number 10, stands opposite Naruto and gives him a cocky smirk._

" _After I beat you, the whole country will see that their golden boy ain't anything special. We both know I'm way better than you. Do yourself a favour and don't embarrass yourself too much."_

 _Naruto just stared right back at the number 10, the intensity and ferociousness of his gaze enough to make his opponent flinch away from him._

 _When asked what was going through his mind during the game, Naruto would give an answer that would baffle everyone besides those who have experience what he went through first hand._

" _Besides, the ball and the hoop, I was colour blind."_

 _The cheering and chanting began anew as the ball is tossed in the air, however Naruto's eyes never left his opponent. Choji wins the ball and tips it to Naruto who catches it but doesn't move. Standing exactly at half court, Naruto looks at all the Philly supporters, making sure he has their full attention. He glances at Number 10._

" _Comparing your level of skill to mine is like comparing the light of a single candle flame to that of an inferno." Naruto throws the ball down hard on the floor so that it bounces over Number 10's head as he races pass him. Everyone around the nation watches as Naruto gets behind the defender and comes to a dead stop at the 30 ft line. He jumps, catches the ball, and then releases it, before landing back on the ground and turn to face the number 10. "Compared to me, its like the rest of the world doesn't even know you exists."_

 _Everyone stares in utter disbelief as the ball arcs its way to the hoop…_

 _ **Swish**_

 _On defense, Naruto tells his teammates to guard the three-point line and forget about the paint. As Philly's PG dribbles past the half way line, he can feel a bead of sweat slide down his back as he can's shake the feeling of Naruto's intense gaze off of him. When the PG gets close to the three-point line Naruto does something that stuns everyone, he takes a big step back until he is on the free-throw line and gets into a defensive stance that is comfortable for him; his arms dangling in front of him._

 _As the crowd of Philly supports yell at their PG to shoot the ball, he steps back in fear of suddenly feeling the immense pressure being exhorted by Naruto as soon as he steps up to take the shot._

 _When Philly's PG panics and throws the ball at a teammate, Naruto quickly pounces upon the sloppy pass. The crowd waits with baited breath as he races down the court at an alarming rate. As he nears the three-point line, he performs an underhanded throw and tosses the ball at the backboard. Everyone watching the game at that moment, whether they were in the audience, the sports analysts who criticised him in studio, or simply those watching the game on tv; stared with dropped-jaw disbelief as Naruto jumped as high as he could, caught the ball, and performed a one armed windmill dunk._

 _No one could believe that this kid, of just 5ft 7inches, had the sheer audacity to perform such a difficult move after doing a self alley-oop, and then walking back to defence as if it was the most normal thing in the world for him to do. Not once did his facial expression changed. Hell, even his teammates could not believe what they just witnessed. Naruto was finally forcing the entire world to take note of what he could do._

 _The silence created by Naruto was shattered as a lone voice spoke up in the otherwise awe-struck arena._

" _WOO-HOO! GO NARU-KUN! KICK THEIR ASSES!" Everyone around her, looked at Hinata in utter disbelief before sweat dropping, a single thought going through all their minds._

' _Fucking hormones'_

 _On their next attack, Philly tried to pass the ball around but it was again intercepted by Naruto. Racing down the court he slowed down as Philly's top two defenders stood before. Naruto performs a crossover to the left while taking a small step forward, performing another between his legs as he steps back, performs one more crossover as he takes a big step forward, and then taking a large step back behind the three-point line while watching the two defenders fall down with disbelief written all of their face._

 _Once again, everyone's jaw falls to the ground as they just witnessed Naruto perform an ankle breaker, one of the hardest moves in basketball, on not one, but two defenders at the same time as if it was nothing._

 _ **Swish**_

 _Everyone's eyes snap to the ball. None of them even registering that Naruto took the shot. He stares at the referee who becomes unnerved. Naruto lifts his arm up and points to the hoop, then the position of his feet. The referee, quickly realising what Naruto is indicating, blows his whistle and announces that the three-pointer was valid._

 _The Philly supporters were just now beginning to understand that the affect of their cheering and chanting earlier on was having the totally opposite effect as to what they wanted to happen._

 _The rest of the game progressed in a similar fashion. Naruto stopping almost all of Philly's attacks singlehandedly. When they tried to double, triple, or even quadruple team him, he would just dribble through one or two players before passing to an open teammate with a fancy flick or no look pass._

 _When there was a break in play, Naruto would sit on the bench with a towel over his head, completely ignoring everyone and everything. Not that anyone was brave enough to risk breaking his concentration when he was giving off such a dangerous vibe._

 _Halfway through the first quarter, the Konoha supporters, lead by Hinata, started cheering for Naruto. Waiting in suspense for what he might show them next. The Philly supporters and sport analysts who doubted him couldn't even say a single word. They just sat back in embarrassment of their earlier comments. Everyone was watching Naruto play with absolutely no restrictions placed upon him for close to the whole game._

 _To conserve energy in the third quarter, Naruto started dropping three's from almost every position around the three-point line. He ended the third quarter making nothing but 13 three-point shots, missing only three, a setting to new records in the process._

 _Close to the end of the fourth quarter everyone noticed that Naruto was moving quicker and quicker. Soon enough, the Philly defenders just gave up on chasing him. Those on the court and close enough to him, heard Naruto mumbling something to himself. As the game drew to a close, the mumbling became more pronounced._

" _Faster. Need to go much faster."_

 _With 11.3 seconds left on the board, Kiba blocks shot and throws it to half court for Naruto. Naruto scoops up the ball at a full sprint and races towards the hoop. As he gets close he slows down to settle himself, takes one more dribble before jumping and before a 720 dunk. He lands and looks behind the hoop at all the Philly fans staring at him in wide eyed disbelief._

 _ **Bzzzzzzzzzt…**_

 _The final buzzer goes off to a silent arena as Naruto walks down the tunnel towards his team's locker room and away from all the people staring at him._

 _Back in the arena, no one says a word as everyone stares at the electronic scoreboard._

 _Fulltime score: Konoha 194 – 34 West Philadelphia._

 _Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze: 143 pt; 16 assists; 19 steals; 7 blocks._

 _Silence reigns supreme until…_

" _And that's why you should never insult or threaten my Kitsune's family!"_

 _(flashback end)_

"You really scared everyone that day!" Naruto's laughter rings out in the silent landscape.

He spends the next hour just sitting there, staring at all the stars.

"Hima-hime is doing well. She's just so full of energy. Surprisingly enough, she hasn't gone through that 'terrible two's' stage that I have been hearing so much about. Besides the cute whisker marks on her cheeks, she's beginning to look more and more like you."

There's a noticeable change in the air around him. As if Mother-nature herself was synching up with his emotions.

"Even though she is still so young, I can tell she's misses you Hina-hime…"

 _(flashback begin)_

 _Pain_

 _Confusion_

 _Panic_

 _Forcing his aching body to sit up, Naruto looks around him, struggling to remember what happened. As his eyes land on the wreckage and suddenly it all comes back._

 _Green light_

 _Hinata sitting next to him the passenger seat_

 _Looking beyond her head to see bright lights oncoming_

 _He frantically searches for Hinata. Finally finding her still in the wreckage, strapped to her seat, he rushes over as he can barely make out the sirens on the way._

 _Making his was over to her he notices all the blood covering her chest and abdomen. He breaks out into tears as Hinata painful turns her head to him._

" _I don't want to die Naru-koi…" she breaks off into a coughing fit._

" _Shhhhh don't speak, Hina-hime. The ambulance is almost here." Naruto can barely get the words out through all his tears._

" _There is so much I wanted to do with you and Himawari. So much I wanted to experience with the two of you. I never wanted to leave my baby girl alone in the world, like my mother left me alone. I wanted to hear her first words, watch her first steps…" another coughing fit, "…take her to her first day of school, and give her advice about the boy she falls in love. I wanted to do so much…" she falls once more into a coughing fit._

" _Hina-hime please save your strength! You aren't going to die! You aren't leaving me or Himawari!" Naruto shouts at her while she gaze at him with all the love in the world._

" _You will have to do all those things in my place. Promise me Naru-koi. Promise me that you will look after our baby girl." Hinata uses her lasting remaining strength to kiss Naruto one last time._

 _The medics arrive on the scene to witness the sight of Naruto holding the hand of a lifeless Hinata Senju, all the while whispering._

" _I promise"_

" _I promise"_

" _I promise…"_

 _(flashback end)_

"…almost as much as I miss you, my Lavender Princess."

Naruto falls done to his knees and finally cries for the woman who loved him with all her heart and who he loved in turn.

A breeze blows the flowers covering the plaque away…

Here lies Hinata Senju

Born 27 December 1991

Died 15 February 2008

A wonderful woman

A true friend

A loving mother even after death

* * *

 **Okay so a couple things about this chapter. I know its long but I wanted to get the Hinata chapter out of the way in one go. no, she won't be forgotten.**

 **For those of you who think that Naruto's stats are unrealistic... well this ifs a fanFICTION so please kindly hold off on those comments.**

 **I'll be using a lot of skills and scenarios from Kuroko no basuke.**

 **hopefully not all chapters will be as long as this one.**

 **I'll being trying to use as close to real-life rosters as i can when Naruto enters the NBA but obviously I'll change up some line-ups.**

 **until next time**


	4. Chapter 3

**I do not own any of the Naruto characters or Kuroko no Basuke. Their ownership resides solely with** **Mavashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki** **.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 3**

"Hn… Please remind me again why I'm dressed up in this ridiculous outfit?"

"Troublesome… For the last time, everyone else has their job assigned to them. Frankly speaking, you were the only one left."

"Choji?"

"In charge of food and the cake."

"Kiba?"

"With his mom making sure the present is secured and ready to be given."

"Naruto? He would be perfect for this job."

"Too bad he has to keep Himawari busy until the house and everything is ready." Came the lazy reply. "And before you ask, all the girls are busy with decorations so they also had to be scratched out."

"So if all that's left is you and I, why aren't you the one doing it?"

"I'm in charge of all the co-ordination. I can't be tied down to one job incase I am needed else where."

"…Hey Shika, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"If you are in charge of everything," the sound of someone taking a deep breath is heard, " why the hell are you lounging by the pool looking up at clouds?!"

"Troublesome…"

* * *

The sound of a car stops outside a quiet house. Getting out of the car, Naruto pulls back the driver's seats and leans inside. Unbuckling and picking up Himawari, he places the seat back, closes the door and locks the car.

"Daddy, why are we are we home so early?"

"Well, I thought that we might come over for an early supper. Tomorrow Daddy has to start big people school with Uncle Shika." Naruto, who is carrying a lavender princess dress wearing Himawari, walks up to the door and walks right in without knocking. As he walks into the living room, everyone yells out.

"Happy Birthday Hima-hime!" Himawari jumps in fright before the biggest smile appears on her face. She wiggles her way out of Naruto's arms and runs into the middle of the room.

"You all remembered!" Himawari goes up to each and every person, and gives them all a hug. Everyone returns it with gusto since she is loved by all in the room. "But where is Sasuke-kyoufu? He didn't forget did he?"

Before anyone can reply, they all hear singing coming from the second floor. Everyone standing behind Himawari start struggling to hold back their laughter so they wouldn't ruin the moment. Himawari listens to the song with hearts in her eyes as a big purple dinosaur walks into the room.

"I love you

you love me

we a happy family

with a great big hug

and I kiss from me to you

won't you say you love me too"

There is a lot of shuffling and mumbling going on as everyone but Himawari, who is staring at the figure awe-struck, try their utmost not to laugh while waiting for Himawari to say something.

"Waaaaaah! Sasuke-kyoufu is Barney!"

* * *

After everyone recovered from their laughter, except for Sasuke who was sulking in the corner, they all sang happy birthday and ate cake. When someone mentioned it was time for presents, Himawari looked around in confusion.

"But where are they?" Just then Kiba walks in with a large cardboard box and sets in down in front of Himawari. Before she can open it Naruto kneels down next to her.

"You are only getting one super special gift this year Hima-hime, but it comes from everyone here and we all chipped in to get it for you."

Himawari opens the box and everyone could see the pure joy that appeared on her face. Reaching inside, she pulls out a small orange fox kit (think chibi kurama but with only one super fluffy tail).

"He's super duper cute!" Himawari giggles as the little fox kit licks her nose as he wags his tail. Looking up at her father, she asks, "Daddy, what's his name?"

"Well Hime, since he's now yours, you get to give him a name." Naruto replies with a smile.

"Hmmmm…" Himawari holds the kit up to her face and stares into its eyes as she puts on her thinking face. Everyone leans in, in anticipation as her smile reappears on her face. "Kurama," she looks at Jiriaya, "like from the books that Grandpa rights about."

Everyone looks at Naruto with a knowing look as he looks down at his daughter with pride. Kiba then walks over and leans down next to Himawari.

"Before I forget, I took Kurama to my mommy. She's good at working with animals so I asked her to make him like Akamaru. Now Kurama will be able to live just as long as you do." Kiba receives a big hug as a thank you.

After that, the party continues. Lots of photos and videos were taken. Lots of cake was thrown around. Unsurprisingly, Jiriaya was knocked out again for making a perverted remark to Tsunade. The highlight of the night was when Himawari walked up to Sasuke with big innocent eyes, Kurama following right behind her.

"Kyoufu, when were you going to tell me you were Barney?"

Later that night, as he is tucking a sleep Himawari into bed, Naruto hears a whining sound from next to his leg. He looks down to see a Kurama struggling to get onto the bed with Himawari. Naruto picks him up and gently places him on the bed.

"Look after her, okay Kurama?" He receives a quiet yip in reply. Naruto turns around and walks out the door. Looking back, he sees Himawari wrap an arm around Kurama who licks her cheek before going to sleep.

* * *

Naruto walks into UCLA's basketball gymnasium for the first practice of the season. He sees the rest of the team shooting hoops and generally fooling around. He looks around until he spots the heads of his blue and green haired friends sitting in the front row bleaches. Walking over to them he sits down between them.

"Yo, Daiki, Shintaro."

"Yo" "Good afternoon, Naruto"

Naruto met Daiki Aomine and Shintaro Midorima when he first started classes. After finding out they were both here from Japan on basketball scholarships, Naruto approached them since they would most likely be teammates in the near future. At first they were a bit cold to him since they thought he couldn't be as good as them. But, after playing a couple of games after classes, they were pleasantly surprised to find out that he was just as good as them.

After another couple of minutes that main doors to the gym bangs open and in walk two figures who Naruto knows very well.

"Kakashi-nii and Obito-nii? What are you two doing here?" Naruto asks his two brother figures in surprise.

"Yo, Naruto. Didn't Kakashi tell you that we were offered jobs to coach here?"

"No! He didn't say I heard." Both Obito and Naruto look towards Kakashi and sweat drop when they see he is ignoring them by reading a pornographic novel written by Jiriaya.

"Alright, listen up! I want everyone sitting down in the bleaches so we can get introductions out the way!" Obito shouts out to everyone. When they are all sitting down, he continues speaking. "Yo, my name is Obito Uchiha and the porn reading idiot next to me is Kakashi Hatake. We are your new coaches that have replaced last season's ones since the results produced by this team were so terrible." The older players all bristle at the jibe at them but remain quiet. "I will be handling the strategic side of things while Kakashi will be focusing on the physical part. Practices will be five days a week, twice a day, unless we are playing games. All previous team line-ups will be scrapped and we will start from fresh. Any questions?"

A third year from the back row stands up. The rest of the older team all pay attention so the newer members assume he is last year's captain.

"Yes. What if we don't agree with the way you do things? Some of us have worked hard for years to get our spot on the team. I'm not just going to allow some freshen straight out of high school to come and take away my spot!" The members around him all nod their heads while the new team members, besides Daiki, Shintaro, and Naruto, look around nervously. Naruto is sitting down with his arms crossed and eyes closed. Shintaro is applying fresh tape to his fingertips. Daiki… is sleeping.

The older students, seeing how the three freshmen are act and thinking it's a sign of disrespect, are about to get hostile. A lazy voice stops them in their tracks.

"Then leave." All eyes, besides the three freshmen, turn towards Kakashi. "No one and nothing is forcing you to be here. If you want things to continue how they were the seasons before this, I would just like to point out one crucial fact…" Kakashi pauses as he turns the page. "It's been years since UCLA has even been in the Top 4 of the NCAA with last season being the worst season this institute has had in decades. So if you want to continue that losing streak then please just leave. Changes are going to be made whether you want them to or not. Team members for games will be chosen on work ethic and how well you work with the rest of your teammates, not seniority." He looks up from his book to gaze at all the players. After a minute of no one leaving he looks book down. "Warm-up. We play a game in 20 minutes. Seniors vs Freshmen."

* * *

Even though no one was keeping score, everyone could see that the seniors were absolutely destroying the freshmen. Looking at the freshmen bench, only Naruto, Daiki, and Shintaro looked calm and collected. So far they haven't played a single minute. In fact, everyone was pretty sure that Daiki was still fast asleep. Naruto, who barely opened his eyes, and Shintaro spent their time observing everyone.

"What do you think, Shintaro?" Naruto asks without opening his eyes.

"The horoscope for Cancer today indicates that I'll be having a good day by using the bare minimum of effort." Shintaro replies while pushing up his glasses. The rest of the freshmen look at them in disbelief.

"Are you both insane?! They are destroying us out there! There is no way we can compete with them!"

The sound of laughter reaches their ears. They glance over at the seniors to see them laughing and joking about how easy the game is going for them.

"Don't you just hate when weaklings think they are great?" The lazy drawl of the person everyone thought was simply sleeping cut through the seniors' happy mood instantly. "You beat on those weaker than you and yet you go on like you just won the championship. Winning must really not happen all that often for you guys if this is the way you going on after dominating one quarter against people too nervous to fight back. Honestly, you dumbasses are just simply pathetic."

The seniors, angered by the three freshmen, make their way over to teach them a listen. Expecting the freshmen to get scared and back down, they are surprised when they do absolutely nothing, almost as if the seniors hold no importance to them.

Before things could escalate a whistle cuts through the tension in the gym, signaling the start of the second quarter.

As the seniors set up for the inbound, all of them suddenly feel as if a pressure has been put on them. Looking towards the freshmen they see Naruto, Daiki, and Shintaro step onto the court, all of them looking bored.

Daiki inbounds the ball to Naruto who waits just in front of half court for everyone to get to their positions. Once his satisfied, he slowly walks toward the three-point line while dribbling the ball with his right hand. When a defender charges out to try and steal the ball, Naruto drives towards the right, angling his body so that everyone thinks his trying to get to the corner. As he sees all the defenders shift their position to deal with him better, he uses his hand to throw a no look, behind the back pass straight in to Shintaro's hands. While he jumps to take the shot, Naruto and Daiki turn around and start walking back to their side of the court. Shintaro releases the ball with a high arc and turns around to follow his teammates. Getting to half court, he hears the sound that he has become so familiar with hearing after he shoots the ball.

 _ **Swish**_

Everyone stares at the ball bouncing under the hoop and then turn their gazes over to the three freshmen, who are ready and waiting for the seniors to attack. None of them believing that they had so much confidence in Shintaro's shot that they didn't even have to wait for the result.

As the seniors attack, their PG, who happens to be the captain who spoke out earlier, throws a pass to a teammate who looks open. Out of no where, Daiki is there to intercept the ball. Passing the ball to Naruto, Daike races up the court towards the hoop. Naruto drives towards half court and then throws an alley-oop to Daiki, who slams it down with one.

At the end of the practice game, all team members are on the floor trying to regain their breath while the three super freshmen are still fooling around by shooting the ball from a number of weird positions.

Obito glances over everyone before turning to Kakashi.

"We have a strong team. We can definitely win this championship after we refine some of their less game ready skills."

"…You say something Obito?"

* * *

The crowd cheers and chants in the arena. Waving almost all of them waving flags in support of their team for the opening game of the season.

After that first practice there were a lot of changes. Then seniors, after having their pride smashed in by the three super freshmen, tried to rebel against Obito and Kakashi. That was quickly put to an end when Kakashi, with the backing of the Headmaster of the institute, kicked them right off the team. This meant that the team was now essentially made up of just freshmen, with three or four older members who didn't get involved in all the drama.

"And now, introducing UCLA's new Trio of Aces, Shintaro Midorima, Daiki Aomine, and your new captain, Naruto 'Kitsune' Namikaze!" The crowd roars their approval. After the whole senior fiasco blew out of proportions, the rest of the team came under heavy scrutiny. Almost everyone now knew of the 'Trio of Aces'.

Jogging onto the court to the sound of cheers from the home fans, the team gives them a smile and wave, although only Daiki, Shintaro, and Naruto weren't showing any nerves. Due to all the drama that occurred, everyone had high expectations for the team. When asked why they weren't as nervous as everyone else, Naruto had this to say.

"You get used to it. When I'm on the court, all I care about is beating my opponents."

As the team took to court for warm-up, they could hear their opponents making snide remarks.

"Dude, this is going to be such an easy win. We wont even have to start our main players.

"Don't you think it's a sign of disrespect? I mean, why play a team of freshmen who know they are going to lose. They are just plain pathetic."

They more comments that were made, the angrier the team would get. Yes, they were a young team but that didn't mean that they weren't serious about winning the championship.

With five minutes left until tip-off, Obito called for one last strategic meeting.

"So lets go over the game plan one last time for those of us who need it." All eyes turn towards Kakashi and Daiki, both of whom aren't if paying attention. "Daiki and Shintaro will be our main attacking force. Once the other team starts to focus on those two, we will use them as decoys, get into clear air so that Naruto has better options. Naruto will only be allowed 20 points per game unless stated otherwise. We want to keep him as a sort of secret weapon for when we make it to the play offs."

"You don't have to worry about anything Obito-nii." Naruto stands up and tightens the bands around his wrists. "We are better than them. Once we get our rhythm going, the other team won't know what hit them."

It was almost scary how true Naruto's statement came to be. Right from the tip-off, UCLA controlled them game. If it wasn't Daiki driving to the hoop or performing jump shots, and Shintaro's random three-point shots from within the opponents half of the court, it was the other players on the UCLA team that would somehow end up with the ball as soon as they found open space.

The only time the opponents seemed to be gaining any kind of momentum was during the final 3 minutes of the game when all three members of the Trio of Aces were on the bench. However, by that time it was already too late to do anything since UCLA had already tripled their opponent's score.

When the final buzzer went off the team went to go shake hands with their opponents. The fans, seeing the teams show of sportsmanship, clapped and cheered. Daiki however, couldn't help but get one last dig in before walking off the court.

"You know, you guys weren't wrong. This match was too easy."

While the team was celebrating their win and the amazing start to their season, the scouts that came to the game to check out the competition left the arena feeling very nervous. With both Daiki and Shintaro scoring over 40 points this game, all of scouts had the plan to tell their respective teams to focus on shutting down what they thought to be the biggest threats.

* * *

The season basically followed the first game, with the team winning most of their games easily. Only struggling against the top four teams in the country. Even then, they managed to pull out three victories, losing only to last year's champs by a small margin.

Due to having such a good season, the team was getting lots of publicity, especially Daiki and Shintaro. With the team averaging over 100 points per game, with Daiki and Shintaro leading the team in scoring, it was no wonder that everyone wanted to know what happened to change the UCLA basketball team so drastically compared to previous years.

In an interview given before the play-offs, where fans and opposition were hoping to get some much-needed answers, Daiki and Shintaro just managed to confuse everyone to new lengths.

Sitting in a conference room after the final practice before the play-offs, Daiki and Shintaro were giving out answers calmly when a question was posed that changed the mood in the room entirely.

"So, out of the two of you, who do you think is the best player on the team?" All the reporters we leaning forward in anticipation, expecting so tension to form between the two players. The reaction the got was not one any of them were expecting at all.

Daiki and Shintaro looked at each other before bursting out into laughter. The reporters looked at each other in confusion, not knowing what caused this reaction. Eventually it was Shintaro that shed some light on the matter.

"Neither of us hold the title of best player on the team." This shocked everyone in the room besides Daiki. "Does anyone have a stat sheet of the team on them? If so, I would like you to read out the stats of Naruto Namikaze."

One reporter in the back stands up, confused but complying with the request made.

"Naruto Namikaze's stats per game for the season are as follows: 20 points; 17.3 assists; 11.8 steals; 4.2 blocks." The rest of the room is shocked after hearing this, wondering how they could have over looked a player with such amazing stats.

"After hearing all that, I would just like to point out a few things. In every single game he has played this season, Naruto has scored exactly 20 points without fail. The reason for not scoring more is that Coach Obito put a restriction on him. In fact, he has ended most of his games this season with a triple-double. The coach wanted to keep him a secret as much as possible so he told Daiki and myself to score and be flash as much as possible. Now however, with coach not wanting to take any chances so late in the season, he has been given permission to stop holding back in matches. In all honesty, Naruto is undoubtedly the best player on the team."

After giving that very enlightening answer, Shintaro and Daiki left a stunned and silent room of reporters, Daiki still unable to contain his snickers.

* * *

The play-offs and finals would all be happening in one week, with the finals on Sunday. The top 32 teams for the regular season would be competing. Even with an incredible regular season, due to previous seasons' track records, UCLA were only ranked 12th in the nation. A lot of people thought that their run this year was nothing but a fluke.

The team, however were not letting all the negative comments get to them. In the locker room before their first game, Obito was going over some last minute instructions.

"Our opponents today are ranked forth for the play-offs. Even though we have beaten them previously, I want know one to get complacent and make any silly mistakes." He looks around to see all the players nodding their heads. "Naruto," said boy sits up straighter at being called, "you have free reign to go all out again. You, Daiki, and Shintaro will only all be on the court together for the first quarter. After that I'll be rotating you guys so that you are well rested for upcoming matches. You also don't have to old back anymore since we have achieved our goal for this season so go wild."

A very particular smile slowly started to form on Naruto's face. The entire team felt shivers run down their spine as they have only ever seen that smile when he was about to pull-off an outrageously elaborated prank on someone. Usually, his victim would have to endure a week of humiliation as pictures would be handed out around campus the next day.

"Don't worry Obito-nii, they wont know what hit them." Naruto then leaves the locker room with a skip in his step. Everyone turns to Obito with blank stares as Kakashi voices the question on all their minds.

"What have you done?" Turns out that the team had every right to be scared.

After tip-off, which was won by UCLA, Naruto was slowly dribbling the ball down the caught. The smile he had on his face was so big that it looked like he had his eyes closed. Seeing as the opponents were marking both Daiki and Shitaro very tightly, Naruto just jumped up and mad the shot before he got any near the three-throw line.

 _ **Swish**_

Everyone turned to Naruto and watched the expression on his face chang from happy-go-lucky, to a predatory grin.

"The Kitsune has finally been let loose."

After the game, a lot of people who put a bet on UCLA losing were shocked into silence. UCLA completely dominated the game with both Daiki and Shintaro scoring over 30 points. Even more surprising was the stats that Naruto put up: 54 points; 14 assists; 17 steals; 3 blocks. People were finally starting to give credit to the interview given by Daiki and Shintaro.

In the locker room after the game, Naruto was skipping around in a circle, happy that he was finally able to play without restrictions. The rest of the team were watching on in amusement. Things became funnier when Shika came in with HImawari, who as soon as seeing the way her father was acting, climd out of Shika's arms and joined her dad in skipping around. This just added to the team's good mood as they took pictures and videos of the pair.

In the post-game conference, Naruto was sitting in front of a room full of sport reporters with Himawari on his lap.

"Naruto, can you explain to us the strategy that was used during today's game? It was very different from the one UCLA used for the entire regular season."

After putting a sweet in Himawari's mouth so that he she wouldn't speak out of turn, Naruto answered.

"Well, the strategy we used in the regular season was because we decided we didn't want to give away all our secrets. The plan was for me to provide support for Daiki and Shintaro. Now that we are in the play-offs, I don't really have any reason to hold myself back. Plus, not to sound conceited or anything, we knew that other teams would have focused their practice sessions on stopping our two highest scorers, who are both leading the NCAA in points per game this season, so having me play with no restrictions throws a spanner in the works."

"What are your thoughts on North Carolina, the only team that managed to beat you this season so far?"

"Booooooo-hmmmmm" the rest of the room laughs as Naruto covers Himawari's mouth after her outburst.

"Honestly speaking, beating us when we aren't playing our best isn't really that much of an accomplishment. If we were playing at our best then I have no doubt that we would have won that game. I'm not saying that North Carolina is a bad team, they are number one in the country, but to celebrate like you just won the championship is a bit immature."

"So you are pretty confident that you will beat them if the two teams meet in the semi-finals?"

"If everyone on the team is at full health and plays the way we have been playing this season then I don't see why we wouldn't win. What a lot of people fail to see is that it's not just me, Shintaro, and Daiki on this team. We are 15 players on this team, all of whom have played this season. Yes, the three of us are the core but we can't play every single minute of every single game. If you watch the games closely, even when the three of us are resting on the bench, in most games the rest of the team has done just fine without us. We are a team based on teamwork, not individuals." Naruto lets that sink in before standing up and putting Himawari on his shoulders. "Thank you, no more questions."

* * *

In the quarter-finals UCLA dominated their match again. All three Aces score over 30 points with Naruto finishing off with another triple-double. The next day they would play North Carolina, the most anticipated match of the season thanks to all the hype its been getting by both fans and players alike.

Jogging onto the court full of confidence, Naruto and the team were expecting to play their toughest match yet. Having made it to the sem-finals, they were to play against North Carolina; last season's champions and this season's number 1 team in the NCAA.

As soon as the match began North Carolina proved that it was possible to stop UCLA's seemingly unstoppable offense. By giving up their first and second quarters to force Daiki into receiving four personal fouls, essentially taking him out of the game, they spent the rest of the game double-teaming Shintaro. This basically meant that Naruto was the sole attacking force for the team due to everyone else just not being able to play at such a high level so soon in their collage careers.

North Carolina then shifted their focus onto rough housing Naruto as much as possible, whether he had the ball or not. At the end of the third quarter Naruto was covered in bruises, almost every movement he made caused him to either wince or flinch in pain. Due to the game being so evenly matched, even with Daiki sitting on the bench, Obito couldn't take Naruto out.

The crowd, noticing the dirty play being done started getting behind UCLA. The cheering and chanting grew to fervor pitch as the buzzer for the fourth quarter went off.

The quarter started off well enough with UCLA with Naruto pushing through the pain and creating opportunities for the rest of the team. Shintaro also managed to put away a few shots on the rare occasion he got free. Just as things seemed to be looking up, everything came crshing down…

As Naruto drove to the basket for a lay-up, a North Carolina defender jumped in the air to contest it. As both players came down, the defender hooked Naruto's arm between his own arm and body, leaning his full weight down upon Naruto…

 _ **Snap**_

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

* * *

 **okay so a few things about this chapter and the next one or two. i won't be going into a lot of detail for the basketball matches as i want to get to the NBA as quick as possible. naruto's stats won't change to drastically from what they are now but i am thinking of having him focus on a particular playing style or skill that will most likely be his signature move. yes, naruto will date later on in life but right now its just about basketball. and no naruto isn't OP. a lot of players in collage, especially against weaker schools put out high stats almost every game. until next time**


	5. Chapter 4

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 4**

Naruto roaring in pain slowly became the only sound heard in the arena. As more and more people turned their gaze to him, they realized that something was indeed very wrong. Naruto was on the floor, lying down on his right side with his right hand clutching left shoulder, writhing in pain.

The refs blew the whistle to indicate that the game clock must be stopped as the injury looked quite serious. UCLA's medical team came on court to try and help Naruto but he shouted at them instead.

"Get Tsunade out here!"

Tsunade, hearing hear godson call out for her, quickly made her way down onto the court. Getting to him, she knelt down and tried to sit him up gently. When he was sitting up as comfortably as possible, she began doing checks the best she could in the situation. Naruto would shout every now and then.

"Well, besides the obvious dislocation, it appears that a few nerves have been caught in the socket. We have to get you to my office to make sure we can pop it back in without any complications. Sorry kiddo but your season is over." Tsunade informed Naruto solemnly.

The news hit Naruto like a ton of bricks. Never before has he been so injured that he has had to miss out a game. He couldn't believe this was happening to him so close to the finals.

Suddenly he heard a sound that nearly broke the control he had on his emotions. Looking down the court he saw the North Carolina team congratulating the player that took Naruto out. It looked like he wasn't the only one who heard them as he saw Daiki, and surprisingly Shintaro, go over to confront them. Soon there was a scuffle and both Shintaro and Daiki got hit with a technical foul. This meant that Daiki was kicked out of the game.

The crowd, finally getting information and understanding what was happening on the court, started booing North Carolina for such dirty play. No one could believe that they would go so far as to injure a player just to win the match.

As Obito was yelling frantic instructions to the team now that they lost both Daiki and Naruto, looked around and noticed that absolutely no one was listening to him. Turning to ask Kakashi what was going on, he paused in shock as he saw that Kakashi wasn't reading his book like he normally was, he was staring at something on the court. Turning his attention to the court, his breath left his lungs in scock as he finally saw what was grabbing everyone's attention.

Standing at the free-throw line waiting to take his two shots, keeping his dislocated left shoulder as still as possible, was Naruto Namikaze. Pain was clearly written on his face. Everyone that tried to talk him out of taking the shots were promptly given a death stare. Finally Tsunade, knowing that he would be stubborn to the end, walked up beside him.

"As a doctor, I can only allow you to take these last two shots before we have to rush to the office. Make it count kiddo." Naruto gives her a look of gratitude as she ushers all the non players of the court to stand on the side.

The crowd starts whispering and mumbling in awe of the courage being shown by Naruto. No player has done such an act before.

Naruto, who doesn't even pay attention to the crowd, turns rage filled eyes towards North Carolina who freeze in fear, unable to believe that even though they took him out of the game they still couldn't break his spirit.

The ref passes the ball to Naruto and indicates that its his first throw. Naruto catches the ball awkwardly with one hand before bouncing it three times. On the last bounce he brings his hand under the ball and performs a modified scoop shot…

 _ **Swish**_

The crowd goes insane at the amazing skill and determination before becoming silent at what is being shown on the big screen. A camera has zoomed in on Naruto's face and tears can clearly be seen running down his cheeks, yet he doesn't scream out in what everyone can tell must be tremendous pain. He waves off his teammates that try to help him and stares at the ball in the ref's hands.

The ball is passed to him again. He performs the same procedure as before and produces the same result. After he scores, he just stands there clutching his shoulder.

Shintaro, being the first to understand what has to happen, quickly fouls a North Carolina player so that a time out could be called.

As Tsunade is slowly helping him off the court, he lifts his good arm in the air and waves at the crowd, thanking them for their support. After he has entered the tunnel, Shika turns to the rest of the friends and family that came to support Naruto. He sees Rin and Shizune trying to calm down a frantic Himawari. The poor girl is distraught due to seeing her dad so badly injured. Heaving a huge sigh, he turns his gaze towards the North Carolina bench.

"Troublesome… you are saw that look in his eyes right?"

"Hn, those were the eyes he had when he saw Hinata in tears."

"Yeah, the exact same look he had before he destroyed West Philadelphia."

"North Carolina will definitely come to regret their decision of turning the ire of the Kitsune onto them."

* * *

In the studio of _ESPN First Take,_ Stephen A. Smith was explaining what he thought of the latest NCAA season.

"We need to look at the facts and the stats people. The Naruto Namikaze could go on to become the next big thing. He managed to score exactly 20 points in every single game he played, without fail. The only reason he never scored more was because of the strategic move played by the coach of the team. When he was allowed to play without restrictions, he still scored over 40 points in both the first two games of the play-offs, and then even somehow managing to get 34 points in the game against North Carolina. A game in which he dislocated his shoulder so badly that he had to be rushed off to the emergency room. But, lets not focus entirely on the amount of points this kid scores, lets look at his other stats per game. Adding to the 20 points he was restricted to, he managed to average 16.7 assists and 12.3 steals per game. The basically means he had to score a triple-double for at least a quarter of all his games. I am will to bet my money on it here and now: next year's NCAA Champions will be UCLA lead by one Naruto 'Kitsune' Namikaze."

* * *

Naurto was sitting in a chair making funny faces at Himawari. Said girl was giggling at her father for acting silly. She was excited cause they were going to Hiruzen-Jiji today. She hasn't seen him in a long time and she misses the stories he would always tell her.

The door to the office opens and in walks Tsunade and Shizune, who both walk over and give HImawari a kiss hello. Tsunade sits at her desk and takes a folder from Shizune. After looking over the contents, she nods her head and looks at Naruto.

You are all cleared for training kiddo. Its been three weeks since the dislocation and your shoulder is back at full strength. You might still feel a bit of stiffness but its nothing stretching before and after practice wont fix."

"Thanks Baa-chan. I was getting bored just sitting at home all day. Even though Himawari is great company, I miss playing ball."

"Yeah, thanks Baa-chan! Daddy isn't fun when he is being all moody like Sasuke-kyoufu." Tsunade and Shizune laugh at Naruto's expense while he rubs the back off his head sheepishly.

Walking outside with Himawari sitting on his shoulders, Naruto spots Kakashi leaning against the wall.

"Yo, kakashi-nii. What are you doing here?"

"I was actually looking for you." Kakashi takes Himawari off of Naruto and puts her on his back. "I have a way to strengthen your body so that it'll be harder for you just get injured again. Plus, it'll be a great way to learn self-defense."

"That's great and all Kaka-nii, but I was going to take Hima-hime to go see Jiji. She really misses him."

Kakashi gives Naruto his famous closed eye smile and walks off with Himawari laughing happily on his back.

"I know. You will be training at his gym again. I managed to call in a favor from an old time friend. He's a bit eccentric but he is honestly the best in the business when it comes to teaching and coach Mixed Martial Arts."

* * *

Later that night, Himawari runs into Tsubade's house tell tell her grandma about her day. Kakashi follows her inside at his usual lazy pace.

"-and then the funny green man had daddy run around carrying big heavy bags and then he shouted at daddy cause daddy fell down on his face and then daddy crawled to the corner and then daddy started crying and then Jiji told me stories and the-"

Kakashi left Tsunade to deal with a hyperactive Himawari and went into the kitchen to greet Shizune. After kissing his wife on the cheek he sat at the table while they spoke about how their day went when all of a sudden Naruto comes stumbling into the kitchen before collapsing on the table.

"Kakashi-nii, why do you hate me? Is it cause of all the pranks I pulled on you when I was younger? I'm sorry, I won't do it ever again. Please don't make me go back there!" Naruto exclaims in tears.

"Don't be such a big baby about things Naruto. MMA will help strengthen your body better than anything else ever could. Plus, Guy will be able to help you out with your speed. You may be fast compared to everyone else in collage but if you want a real edge in the NBA, you will need Guy's help."

"-and then the weird man gave me this green suit and then he said I was youthful and then I asked about his bushy eyebrows and then he said I was unyouthful and then-"

"Although, it might be a good idea to keep Hima-hime away from him and Lee…" Kakashi pauses in his speech as HImawari walks into the kitchen and sits at the table dressed in a green jumpsuit. "…two months Naruto. You just need to endure for two months."

* * *

Having to deal with both Guy and Lee after he was finished with classes for the day was pure torture for Naruto. Every day they would have him doing a different set of exercises that would work on a different aspect of his playing style. At the end of the two months, Naruto could run and dribble faster than ever before. His passes also became more accurate and could be unleashed at a moments notice. He could also jump higher than before. In fact, because his legs now had so much explosive power contained in them, he could now dunk whenever he wanted, not just when he was on fire during a game. He hardly gained any weight, just strengthened the muscles he already had.

When asked what improved the most during the two months of training, Naruto would answer that the release time on his shots had now shortened to a time he was happy with. Without losing any of the accuracy he spent hours honing, Naruto now had a quick-fire shot that would be very hard to guard against.

The impressive training didn't come without any drawbacks however. For some particular reason that had Naruto and Kakashi praying to almost every single deity they knew of, and everyone else laughing at their predicament, Himawari absolutely adored they green suit given to her by Guy. The only thing she changed was the colour. It was now indigo to match her hair. Try as they might, they just could not get her to give it up.

Luckily for them, Kurama absolutely hated the jumpsuit and would run away every time Himawari tried to hug him. Eventually she gave the jumpsuit up, preferring to have Kurama with her.

* * *

On the day of the first practice of the season, the first years were all standing around awkwardly while the older team members were playing around waiting for their three key players, as well as Kakashi and Obito. Everyone turned to look at the doors as three figures appeared.

The first figure was walking with a lazy strolling, yawning every couple of steps as if he just got out of bed. The second figure was taking off the tape around his fingers. The third, and shortest, figure was listening to music, bobbing his head along to whatever song he was listening to.

Just as they were about to be greeted, everyone except Naruto, who just continued listening to music, heard a terrified scream. Suddenly Obito came running through the gym's door, screaming his head off, followed by a happily running Kurama. For some reason, Obito has always been afraid of Kurama who just loved to scare him.

Obito ran up to Naruto and jumped on his back, ripping out his earbuds so Naruto could hear him.

"Naruto! Get that demon away from me!"

Naruto glanced down at his feet and saw Kurama sitting there, wagging his tail. Throwing Obito off his back, Naruto picked up Kurama and put him on his head before facing the rest of the team.

"Yo, how was break for everyone?" everyone, besides the first years who stood in shock at what just occurred, gave him a reply.

Soon Kakashi came in carrying Himawari on his shoulders. As he walked past everyone to the ball cart Himawari happily waved at them. Again, only the first years found this strange. Kakashi placed Himawari in the cart, glanced at a sulking Obito, turned to the team and started taking roll call. When he was finished, he called Naruto up to talk to everyone.

"Yo, for the first years and new members, I'm Naruto Namikaze, your captain. Welcome to the UCLA basketball team. If you have any questions or problems, don't hesitate to ask me or any of the older members for help… except for Daiki. Never ask Daiki for help with anything." Naruto only received a loud snore in reply. "Now, like we did last year, the team's positions will all be scrapped and we'll start with a freshmen vs senior game, to see where the new players are at in terms of skill. Don't worry if you don't make the team. Everyone WILL play. Our goal is to win the championship this year which means a rotation of players will be key so everyone is well rested and risk of injury is lowered. Any questions?"

"Yeah, what's with the dog on your head and that kid in the cart?"

"Well, the kid in the cart is my daughter Himawari, she basically comes to all the home game and practices, and the fox on my head is called Kurama and goes wherever Himawari goes. Anything else? No? Awesome!" Naruto takes Kurama off his head and puts hime the the cart with Himawari. "Lets get started."

* * *

Due to the incredible come back season they had last year, and basically fielding the same team as well, UCLA were rated in the top 4 best collage basketball team in the nation. Everyone was expecting them to make it to the play-offs and at least the semi-finals again. The team didn't lets down their fans.

Due to the team improving so much last year, the Trio of aces didn't have to carry everyone as much as they did the previous season. In fact, they rarely ever played in the same quarter.

The team's confidence was at an all time high because of the amazing season they were having. It was one month until the play-offs and they were at the top of the table. Their next match was something everyone was looking forward to: North Carolina. Due to the dirty match played in last season's semi-finals, a rivalry had started to form up between the two teams, with both teams making comments about the other in interviews leading up to the match.

The day of the match was soon upon them. Tension was high in the locker room. The game was getting more media coverage than any other regular season game due to everyone wanting to see the re-match between the two. However, what everyone got was not what any of them expected.

In the locker room before the game, the second and third years approached Naruto, Shintaro, and Daiki.

"We know we are asking a lot from the three of you, but we want you three to sit out this match." Daiki and Shintaro were in shock. In what could probably be the biggest game of the season, their teammates asked them to sit out. Naruto was the only who stayed calm.

"I think I might already know what's going on but please explain it so that I know for certain. Why don't you want us to play this match?"

"With play-offs right around the corner, no one wants one of you to risk injury. Plus this is a matter of pride. We want to show that we can compete with the best out their, even if you three aren't playing. What better way to do that than against the team that ended things for us last season?"

Naruto didn't give them an answer. He looked at each second and third year player before standing up and getting dressed. Just as he finished, Obito walked in and took a step back in surprise at the tension in the room. Naruto walk toward the door before turning to the team.

"I trust you guys to play your best. Win or lose, know that I'm glad to be on this team."

Naruto walked out the door soon followed by Daiki and Shintaro, all three content with letting their teammates have the spotlight for once.

They walked out the tunnel to the cheers of the crowd, which quickly turned to gasps of surprise and then mumbling of confusion when they walked straight past the team bench and went to join their friends and family in the bleaches reserved for them.

The game started out very slowly but soon picked up when the crowd, following the Trio of Ace's lead, began cheering for UCLA. The more the fans cheered for them, the more hyped up the team got. The lead of the match was changing hands quite regularly. The second and third years were surprising everyone except their three star players. They weren't just keeping up with North Carolina, they were actually playing on even footing with them. This match was proving to everyone that UCLA was more than just three players.

The game eventually ended with UCLA losing by one point. Before the team could drop their heads in defeat, the crowd gave them a standing ovation, many people that came to watch the game understood what the team tried to accomplish and let them know that they had everyone's respect.

The press conference after the game put a damper on things though, and just added more intensity to the rivalry. North Carolina's coach, embarrassed at almost being beaten by what he perceived to be a second rate team made his opinions known.

"Of course we won the game! Anyone would have after playing against such a weak team. We beat them last year as well. We are the reigning and defending champions. No second rate team will be able to beat us!"

The conference room erupted after that statement, everyone wanting to be heard over everyone else. Things suddenly became quiet when the sound of a clearing throat was heard through a mic. Everyone looked towards Naruto. Even though he had a smile on his face, they could all practically feel the anger radiating off of him.

"You say my team is weak? They just pushed the supposed best team in the country into an OT game without their top three players. Lets not forgot that you only won last year's semi-finals by fouling out one star player and then injuring another. You think my team has just forgotten what you did? The team wanted to prove that they can compete with the best, even when Daiki, Shintaro, and myself aren't playing. I'd like to think that's exactly what they did tonight. Next month the play-offs begin. I can promise you this here and now. UCLA will not just win this year's championship, we will double the score of every single opponent we face!" everyone was shocked beyond belief after that proclamation. To promise such a thing is so unheard of that if it were to actually happen, it would go down as one of the greatest NCAA moments of all time. "And if we once again face-off against North Carolina, we will more than triple their score, with myself not taking a single shot."

Naruto got up and walked out the room, followed by a smiling Kakashi and a laughing Obito.

* * *

In the gym during last practice before the play-offs began, the entire team besides Naruto and Shintaro were experiencing true fear running through them. Daiki Aomine was giving everyone a heartfelt, genuine smile. Something none of them have seen before.

"Oi captain, can you explain that one more time please?"

Naruto sighed in annoyance. He had already explained it three times but it seems Daiki was too overcome with excitement to fully understand what he had said.

"For the last time, because I lost control of my anger at the press conference, the three of us will no longer be holding back. I am given you permission to go wild. No more holding back until we win this championship. I want there to be no doubt in anyone's mind just who the best in the country is."

Daiki didn't say a word as he picked up a ball and left the gym, the smile never leaving his face.

"Urm… shouldn't someone stop him?"

It was Shintaro that answered.

"No, he is too excited to train properly with anyone right now. When he gets like this, its best to stay out of his way." Turning to Naruto, he voiced something that was on his mind. "Captain, in the first game, it would be wise to send the ball to Aomine as much as possible."

"I already planned to."

* * *

Sitting on the bench before the first game of the play-offs game listening to Obito go through the game plan, Naruto take a glance at Daiki. Seeing something odd, he looked closer. It was like there was a flickering of lightning in Daiki's eyes. Immediately turning to Obito after realizing what this meant, Naruto interrupted.

"Daiki, is getting the ball the entire game." Silence met him. Normally Naruto would never question or go against Obito or Kakashi when it came to strategy but the few times he did proved to be good calls.

Kakashi, having seen what Naruto saw, agreed with him instantly.

"Shintaro will be sitting out this match. I have a feeling we will need him in the next match since Daiki will be still be recovering from this one."

Shintaro looked over at Daiki and gave him a nod before putting his tracksuit back on. The crowd reacted to this by whispering and commenting, wondering what was going on.

Just before the match began, Daiki walked over to Shintaro and gave him a proper Japanese bow of gratitude. He then walked onto the court without saying a word.

Daiki absolutely dominated the match from the get go. After winning the tip-off and passing the ball to Naruto, he sprinted to the hoop and jumped into the air. Just as he was coming down, the ball landed in his hand and he slammed it down with authority. The crowd went wild seeing such a play right at the beginning of the match.

For the rest of the match Daiki would be scoring from normal jumpers while performing one or two trick shots a quarter. He was keeping things very basic but because of his speed, level of concentration, and Naruto passing to him at the right moment, the defenders just couldn't handle him.

In the fourth quarter Daiki started playing streetball. He would taunt his defender and make him look silly in front of everyone. He crossed the ball through his legs to his right while leaning his body to the left. As the defender reached in to grab the ball, Daiki reacted quicker and grabbed it with his right hand before driving to the hoop for a dunk.

The game finished with UCLA more than doubling their opponent's score, Daiki scoring 68 points, and Naruto picking up another 17 assists by providing passes for Daiki.

* * *

Due to Daiki going all out in the first game of the play-offs, Obito had to bench him for the second game. He was perfectly okay with this as he was fast asleep in the team's locker room while the match was going on.

Naruto was making use of simple screens to get away from his defender before driving to the hoop or passing to an open teammate. By half time, UCLA had a considerable lead, it was now just a matter of making sure that their score was double that of their opponents.

After half-time Shintaro really came alive. By receiving amazingly pin-point accurate passes from Naruto, he was able to find his rhythm much easier than usual and was shooting from further beyond the three-point line as the match went on. He ended the game by setting a new NCAA record for most three points in a game: 17 shots. Breaking Keith Veney's record that stood since 1996.

After the match the crowd gave Shintaro a standing ovation as they had just seen probably the best three-point display ever.

Going into the quarter-finals the main talk of the tournament was the UCLA team. Most people had written off what Naruto said at the press conference but the team was sticking to his word and seemed to be gaining momentum because of it. The only difference between this year and last year was that Naruto hadn't been taking a lot of shots. He was more focused on making assists and defending.

Naruto used the quarter-final match as a showcase for his passing skills. He performed a variety of no look passes as well as flicks of the wrist passes. The defenders didn't know which way to go as he would switch playing styles from streetball to playing professionally and back again.

* * *

The game ended with the team once again doubling their opponent's score. Heads were starting to turn. It had been a very long time since one team dominated the rest of the field in such a way. More attention was being put upon them than ever before. They were now everyone's favorite to win the championship this season and to do it all again next season since the team would remain relatively in tact.

The team they played in the semi-finals tried to shut down Naruto with a double team. It was a good idea but Naruto was just playing at too high a level to be stopped by their efforts. If anything, it showed just how far ahead he was compared to their opponents. After scoring 20 points, he stopped taking shots to just focus on passing and dribbling again.

As the clock was running down to the end of the game, Naruto was dribbling the ball through his legs in front of a defender. Throwing the ball against the defenders head, he caught it and took the three pointer, making the shot just as the buzzer went off.

Everyone watching went insane after seeing what he just did. Normally they would only see such skills if they went to watch a street ball tournament but here was a guy playing in the NCAA who could use both a professional and a street ball style of play.

* * *

The day of the final was here. Everyone couldn't wait for the match to begin. A lot of people were thinking that this match would finally prove who the best team in the NCAA really was. No one had forgotten the statements made by Naruto either. They all wanted to see if he would stick to his word or not.

Before the game, as the team was going through their normal warm-up routine, everyone witnessed that Naruto wasn't even attempting to make a basket. He was either doing elaborate passes or practicing his dribbling skills, the look of utmost concentration on his face.

When the starting members were being announced, Naruto picked up Himawari and put her onto the announcers' table. As the UCLA members walked past her, they all gave her a high five. She had really become the team's lucky charm. When it was Naruto's turn, they hit their right hands together, then their left hands, before finishing things off by dabbing in the opposite direction.

Many of the girls in the crowd found this to be extremely adorable. Many at UCLA had tried to get a date out of Naruto but he would always reject them as gently as possible, adding to his charm even more. Naruto just wasn't ready to move on from Hinata yet.

Stepping onto the court, the UCLA team and supporters were string at their three star players. All three of them were looking more serious than ever before, going through none of their pre-game jokes or antics. All three of them were looking at North Carolina as a predator would look at its prey. Finally, the nation would see what these three amazing players could do when they were playing all out at the same time.

The ball was tipped-off with Carolina winning it. Before they could react, Shintaro hit the ball at of the PG's hands and Naruto caught it. Faster than the defenders could react, Naruto ran towards the hoop before jumping and throwing the ball against the backboard. Daiki, who was running behind Naruto, jumped and slammed the ball down hard.

Without even acknowledging the amazing dunk, both players ran back and prepared the defense. Carolina missed the shot and Naruto go the rebound. H e dribbled the ball up the caught before he saw Daiki run past him. Thinking that Daiki would get the pass, the defenders al ran to cover him. Naruto through the ball straight at Daiki's feet and watched it bounce between his legs and straight into Shintaro's hands, who sent the ball flying for a three.

The rest of the half followed in a similar fashion. Daiki and Shintaro scoring most of the team's baskets while Naruto kept gaining more assists. By the end of the second quarter he had managed to gain 14 assists. UCLA had more than doubled Carolina's score: 78 – 36.

The three star players were benched for most of the third quarter. However, that did not help Carolina at all. The rest of the team, having gained confidence from their previous game against Carolina, proved that they had improved drastically thanks to the confidence boost. They increased the lead during the minutes their three star players rested.

The Carolina coach was shouting at his players to do something that would help. Nothing they did seem to be working. The crowd were against them as well, preferring to hype up the UCLA team. The feeling of dread in their stomachs just increased as the crowd renewed their cheering at the sight of the three star players.

At the end of the third quarter the score was close to being tripled and Naruto was on 20 assists for the game. Obito wasn't saying a word, just allowing his team to rest as he knew that they would be winning this game.

With the final quarter of the season about to begin, Naruto, Daiki, and Shintaro decided they were going really show-off their skills. After receiving a pass from Naruto, Daiki raced towards the free-throw line before jumping up and leaning his body backwards. The crowd watched in amazement as Daiki never let the ball go until his body was exactly perpendicular to the ground.

On the next play Naruto threw the ball at Shintaro who was already in the air going through his shooting motion. Shintaro received the ball just as he flicked his wrist, sending the ball into a beautiful arc that saw it hit nothing but net. The crowd reacted in astonishment at the passing accuracy of Naruto and the complete trust between teammates to pull off such a difficult move.

The game ended with Naruto catching a rebound and dribbling the ball up court before throwing it in the air at the sound of the buzzer.

UCLA 156 – 47 North Carolina

The UCLA fans erupted into cheers at finally winning the championship after so many years of losing. The team all ran onto the court and had one huge group hug before starting to chant UCLA. Confetti shot out of nowhere and covered the entire floor.

While a stand was being set up in the middle of the floor, Naruto went to go search for his daughter. Finding her with Tsunade, he picked her up and placed her on his shoulders before going back to the team. When they saw Himawari they renewed their cheers and got her one of the T-shirts that they had to wear for being champs. One was quickly placed over her head along with a cap.

The team had to pose for photos while the trophy was being presented to them. When the photographers asked for Himawari to leave the podium the team refused to take anymore until she was back with them.

"And now, awarding the MVP trophy to the player voted to have played the best this season, Naruto 'Kitsune' Namikaze! The first player to win MVP witout scoring a single point in the final match and setting another new record of 27 assists in a single game."

* * *

 **sorry for the wait. anyway, i can say that naruto will be paired up again. Himawari will be going to school next chapter. the nab draft will also be happening next chapter. please leave your comments and suggestions**


	6. Chapter 5

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 5**

"So let me get this straight..." Naruto looked around at everyone sitting by the pool, listening to him continue a rant that started hours ago, "I was the only one that didn't know Shika was advancing his courses so that he could be my agent in time for the draft this year, Temari was helping him as well as starting up her business, and Sasuke proposed to Sakura?

"Yes!" everyone shouted at him. Having just got back from a weeklong trip with Himawari, Rin, Shizune, Kakashi, and Obito to Disneyland, Naruto wanted to know what all he had missed out on.

"But it's just been a week! You guys could've just waited for me to get back." Naruto pouts at everyone but stops when he sees that it has absolutely no affect on any of them.

"Troublesome… stop whining. It's over. You just need to focus on this season and make sure your stats are good enough to be noticed by the NBA. After the previous two seasons, you are in position to be picked in the first round but there's no need to get complacent. Now's the best time to show all the teams that you can still play your normal ball even with the pressure of being champion over your head."

Ever since the finals, more attention has been put on Naruto than ever before. Everyone wanted to know more about the guy that made such a bold prediction and then went on to do exactly that. Sports reporters were busy blowing up his phone, as well as sports agencies that wanted him to sign with him. Unfortunately, because of his contract to play in the NCAA, he couldn't talk to any of the agencies or accept handouts and sponsorships. Fortunately for him though, he had Shika and the rest of the gang watching his back so that there was no reason for him not to play the upcoming season.

"Even if I was allowed to talk to them, I still would have Shika there with me. No way am I going to let anyone else handle my affairs."

"Have you decided what team you wanna join?", asked Temari.

Naruto and the guys all looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Temari and answering together.

"Lakers!"

The girls all roll their eyes as the boys go off into their own little world, talking about basketball and other things that might interest them.

* * *

"Naruto, are you crying again?"

"No! I have allergies."

"But you aren't even-"

Baby, don't go! Don't leave me with these savages! I can't survive without!" everyone face palmed at how Naruto was behaving.

"Daddy its just school. And I'll see you later." Himawari tried to get away from Naruto but he wouldn't let her go. "Besides, you know Iruka sensei and Jiji will be there with me."

"But I don't want you to grow up! You suppose to stay little forever and ever!" Naruto's antics were starting to draw attention to the group. It was the first day of school and the gang all went with to secretly make sure that Naruto didn't embarrass Himawari too much. "Don't forget to make friends. Oh, and I packed in your favourite bowl of ramen. I'll be here when school ends."

Himawari giggles at her dad and rolls her eyes.

"Daddy I'm the one that's suppose to be crying. I'll see you later. Love you."

She kisses Naruto on the check and runs over to Iruka.

"Do you guys think I'll get into trouble if I just stalk her the whole day?" Naruto asks the group innocently.

"Yes!"

"Ruto, even Kurama isn't as emotional as you are. Just relax, she'll be fine. Besides, she's going to the same private school we went to. We all know how their system works and you can easily contact them if there's something bothering you."

Naruto stares at the building with a solemn expression on his face.

"I just don't want her to grow up."

* * *

"So we are going into this season as the champs. Everyone will be gunning for us. Now, since this season will be the last that Naruto, Daiki, and Shintaro will be with us, the plan is to slowly ease others into their positions so we are still able to have a fighting chance for the years to come." It was the first practice of the season and Obito was laying down the game plan for everyone. "Now, we are ranked number 1 in the nation so expect a lot more media attention at games and sometimes practices. I would just like to remind everyone that your NCAA contract prohibits you from doing a number of things so please go over it thoroughly o there are no incidents."

Just then, Kakashi walked into the gym leading a bunch of sport reporters over to the benchers. The team looked over to see what was going on. The first years and some of the less confident members were quite nervous that there were people watching them. The rest of the team were either used to it or just didn't care.

"I know a lot of you aren't too used to practice under such conditions but just bare with it. They will be staying after practice to interview some players so don't all run off. Now, are there any questions?"

"Why is there a fox sleeping in the ball cart?"

"Kurama is kinda like our lucky item. He's at almost all home practices and games. Don't let him distract you."

* * *

The season was going well for the team. Not losing any matches and slowly integrating other members into positions normally occupied by the three star players was actually proving to be easier than anyone anticipated. It appeared that after training with them for years, the other members' level of skill had risen to a point where they could compete against the other top collage teams in the nation. It also helped that there was an increase in recruits this year due to the championship win last year, giving Obito and Kakashi a lot of good players to work with.

The team was breezing through the regular season. Even though they weren't playing as many minutes as the previous two seasons, Naruto, Daiki, and Shintaro were still putting up impressive stats. Naruto was still focusing on passing the ball to teammates and gaining assists, still scoring 20 points every game.

One day the three of them were resting of an intense practice that Kakashi was in charge off.

"So you two are going back to Japan after we graduate?"

"Yeah, we are planning to enter into the professional league over there and the make a go for the national team. We have a couple of friends that are also planning to go professional so it should all work out nicely for us. Plus, this way, in 2016, we can duke it out for Olympic Gold and the year before that is the world tournament."

"That's only if we are all called up for the teams. If things go according to plan then it will only be my second year in the NBA, not a lot of time to get a good enough reputation for the national squad."

"You are forgetting that you already played and captain one national squad. They'll surely take that into consideration. Besides, you are one of the best players I have ever played against. You will make the team."

The three sit in silence after that, each lost in his own thoughts and memories about the years spent together.

"Daiki, before I forget, there are times where I think I see lightning flowing from your eyes. What's up with that?"

Daiki takes a while to gather his thoughts before looking towards Naruto.

"What do you know about 'the Zone' and 'the Wild'?"

* * *

Continuing their impressive form from the first half of the season, UCLA easily qualified for the play-offs. The team as a whole was stronger than it has ever been.

Everyone had a chance to play and showcase his skills. Daiki won the regular season MVP, closely followed by both Naruto and Shintaro. The fans and commentators were expecting them to win the championship again.

Walking onto the court for the warm-up before the first game of the play-offs, Naruto noticed that there were a lot more cameras compared to the previous two occasions that he has been here.

"Yo, Obito-nii. What's with all the cameras today? Something important happening?" Obito gave him a funny look. In fact, almost everyone was giving him a weird look.

"Don't you know? Everyone wants to watch you play. Especially the NBA teams that are planning signing you up in the upcoming draft. Ruto, you are currently a very hot topic. Everyone in the country that's into basketball wants to know more about you."

"But what about Daiki and Shintaro? Surely they can't all be here just for me!" Naruto looked around and finally noticed that a lot of cameras were on him and many more people in the audience were keeping a close eye on him.

"They aren't American and are going back home to Japan when the season is done. To them, you are the next big thing. It's been awhile since a player has become this popular before their NBA career so of cause they are going to make a big deal out of what they perceive to be the next great player." Obito allowed Naruto to digest all he said before continuing. "And because they are all here to see you, you will be our target man for offense."

"What!?"

* * *

Leading up to the finals, Naruto was playing the best ball of his life so far. Not only was he scoring over 40 points a game, he was making over 15 assists a game as well. UCLA was absolutely destroying all competition. The fans and cameras loved them. They weren't just winning games by a large margin; they were having fun as well. A lot of the time the team would use a streetball style of play to get by defenders or just show-off for the crowd.

The outcome of the final was one that everyone expected. UCLA utterly destroyed their opposition. All three star players managed to score of 30 points in the game. Naruto was once again named MVP for his amazing performance.

"So Naruto, now that your collage career is done, what do you have planned next?"

"I plan to enter into this season's NBA draft. I want to continue playing ball. These past three seasons with UCLA have been great and I never once regretted my decision to hold off on the NBA. I learnt so much from both my coaches and my teammates. I'll miss playing with these guys."

"Any idea what team you'll be joining?"

"Nope. No idea. Cause of the NCAA contract I couldn't talk to professional teams at all. I'm hoping that will all change now. I have one of my best friends as my agent. He's honestly one of the smartest guys I know and he has a real good business sense so all I have to worry about is playing ball."

"Well, we here at UCLA thank you for all you have done for our basketball team and we wish you luck for all your future endeavours."

* * *

Naruto was jogging along the pier next to the beach, the sun just starting to make an appearance. He had started running ever since he first trained with Guy and Lee. It was his way of clearing his head and having time to himself. He wouldn't be getting a lot of that over the next couple of days.

Ever since the end of the season, his phone, as well as Shika's has been blowing up with offers from teams and brands that would like to sponsor him. He really had no idea what to say or do so he just left all of that to Shika. He just wanted to get into the NBA and play ball again.

As he turned to go back home, he saw that someone was running behind him. She was wearing a skin-tight pair of grey Nike leggings going down to her ankles, showing off her shapely legs. She wore a Lakers number 24 top over a grey hoodie. She had a baseball cap on with her dark brown hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. Without even being able to see her face, Naruto could tell that she was extremely pretty.

As she runs past him she lifts her head up and Naruto gazes into a pair of the warmest dark brown eyes he has ever seen. He completely freezes, captivated by the gaze of this creature that managed to take his breath away from him. A feat that only one other person has ever managed to do. She gives him a warm, gentle smile and he can't help but return it with a goofy grin of his own. He watches her as she continues her run, gazing at the way the tights show off her legs and toned backside.

Hearing a giggle he glances up and his face goes red as a tomato. She caught him staring at her. She didn't seem angry or upset by it but Naruto couldn't help but feel like a total idiot for getting caught. He quickly turns around and nearly sprints his way home.

When he got home he just sat on the front steps, replaying the whole scene through his head. He had no idea how long he sat there for but he was brought out of his thoughts by Himawari coming outside to greet him.

"Morning Daddy! Why are you just sitting here by yourself? You thinking about Mommy again?" Naruto looked at her in shock.

"What you mean Hima-hime?"

"Baa-chan says that whenever you have that look on your face, you are thinking of Mommy. Do you miss her?"

"Come here Hime." He picks her up and sits her on his lap. "Of course I miss her Hime. She was really amazing."

"Daddy, why don't you get another girlfriend? That way you won't have to be lonely when I grow up."

"You are never growing up!" Naruto looks away from her and pouts childishly, causing Himawari to laugh at him. "I don't think I'm ready to move on yet, Hime. Your mommy was really the only one that I ever had eyes for. Besides, I also have to make sure that whomever I date falls in love with you as well. You'll always be the most important girl in my life."

Naruto and Himawari continue to sit together, enjoying some father daughter time until they both have to get ready for the day to come.

* * *

Hearing the door bell ring, Naruto walks over and opens it to see Shika standing there typing away on his phone.

"Yo, Shike what you doing here?"

"No idea. Jiriaya called me to say that as your manager, I have to be here today for some reason. Is he here?"

"Yeah he's sitting in the living room with an old friend of his."

As soon as both boys walk into the living room, Shika gasps and drops his phone in shock. Jiriaya and his friend both look at him with amused expressions on their faces.

"What's wrong Shika? Do you know this dude?"

Shika gives Naruto an exasperated look before rushing over to shake the older man's hand, his shapr mind already figuring out why Jiriaya told him to come over today.

"Kazuo Hirai, Sir, its an honour to meet you. Please, excuse my client's lack of respect. He really doesn't follow business enterprises, instead focusing on sports more than anything else."

Kazuo Hirai laughs at that while Naruto looks at everyone in confusion.

"Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Ruto, this is Kazuo Hirai." Shika receives a blank look in response. "The Chief Executive Officer for the Sony company." Another blank look is all he gets. "Troublesome… the company that makes Playstation." Before he knows it, Naruto is standing in front of Mr Hirai and feverishly shaking his hand while gazing at him with stars in his eyes. Mr Hirai just laughs at the interaction between the two young men.

"Before my client makes a bigger fool of himself, is there any reason for your visit Mr Hirai?"

"Well, I'm actually here on a possible business venture." This perks the interest of Shika while Naruto goes off to the kitchen. "Since you are Naruto Namikaze's agent, I would like to talk to you about Naruto being the first professional sport's person represented by Sony."

Naruto walks back into the living room to find an amuse Mr Hirai and Jiriaya looking at Shika who appears to have gone into shock. After shaking him a bit until he regains his focus, Naruto sits down to listen in on the conversation.

"Of course I want to say yes right away but I have to ask what you can offer my client. Our goal is to win championships and for Ruto to become the best out there. What can you provide that would enable Naruto to achieve his dream?"

"I'll start of with the social events. Even if Sony is based in Japan, we have branches all over the world, especially in America. We sponsor a number of sporting events and social functions. If Naruto signs with us, his name would go onto the lists of many of those events, allowing him to make contacts and interact with a lot of prominent people in many social circles. Even though he will be our only sportsman, he will be able to interact with a number of other athletes from different sports, ensuring that he gets good publicity. His family and friends will have access to our medical staff as well as facilities. We want to ensure that we keep him safe, healthy, and happy. He will have access to a lot of new merchandise. In fact, we will rely on him to advertise a lot of new products we will be producing in the near future, such as: watches, headphones, backpacks, cell phones, ect. We can also provide top of the line trainers for the off-seasons or if he is recovering from injury. There is more that you will need to know, such as code of conduct and wearing other brands, but that will all be in the contract."

Shika takes awhile to process all that he has been told. Truthfully, it was a big risk. Even though there were a lot of benefits, Sony just wasn't known for being involved in sports.

"I have to ask Mr Hirai, why represent Naruto?"

"It's actually quite simple, his heritage and friendship circle." Seeing that he is only getting confused looks, he proceeds to elaborate. "Before coming here, I asked my best investigators to do a background check on Naruto. It appears that even though he has Japanese heritage, he is also close to a lot of well known individuals, such as yourself Mr Nara, that will one day take over the family business. Sony's aim is to use Mr Namikaze as a foothold for helping and, in the future, representing these family businesses. Whether that is by providing the top of the line equipment or by providing top of the line research, will be entirely up to the head of said family. The point is, I see a major opportunity to help this big family you seem to have built here over the years, and to expand it in the years to come. You will be allowing us, the Sony Company, access into sports, culinary, veterinary and maybe even law enforcement businesses."

Shika couldn't believe his luck. This man wasn't just providing support for Naruto, he was offering to help out the families that are all close with Naruto.

"Why? Why go this far?"

After the question was asked Naruto and Shika both noticed the hardened gazes of both Jiraiya and Mr Hirai.

"I owe Minato and Kushina Namikaze a great deal more than I could ever repay. This is just my way of trying to repay them. In all honesty, I have been following Naruto's achievements since Minato first told me about them years ago."

"Wait! You knew my parents?"

"Yes, they were helping my company with something very important and very confidential. But we digress… Mr Nara, will your client be signing up with the Sony Company?"

* * *

"So let's talk about Naruto Namikaze. He is this year's projected number one pick in the NBA draft, two time NCAA champion, as well as two time MVP, a highschool champion and MVP, this kid already has a list of achievements to his name."

"I think everyone is making to much of a big thing about this kid. Sure he is good but we haven't seen him play against professionals yet. Don't you think its all just a bit to soon to be saying that he'll be one of the greats one day?"

"What do you think about a l this Mr Stephen A. Smith?"

"I have been saying it from day one already. This kid will be the next great thing. Like Michael Jordan and Lebron James, he will be the one leading the NBA into a new era. I know Lebron is coming off of just winning another championship but give this kid one or two seasons to adjust himself and I promise you that he will be up there competing with the best of him. Naruto Namikaze is a young player that teams should look to build around. Give him enough experience and players good enough to utilize his amazing passes and he will be able to go toe-to-toe with anyone in the league."

* * *

"Okay now remember, no matter who picks you, keep smiling. We don't want anyone to think that you are a drama queen or ungrateful. If we don't get the team we want we will just have to make do for the time being."

Naruto and Shika were on their way to the Barclays Center for the 2013 NBA draft. After having spoken to a number of teams, Naruto still only wanted to be apart of the Laker's.

When they got to the venue, they both got out the car, Naruto, wearing a tailored suit, smiled and waved to the crowd of supporters and sports reporters. Walking into the Center, they were quickly ushered to a table that was already filled with their friends and family. After sitting down, Naruto picked up Himawari and place her on his lap. The nerves were starting to get to him but having Himawari close by always managed to calm him down.

Finally, after a bit of waiting, David Stern, NBA commissioner, walked on stage to begin proceedings.

"Let the 2013 NBA draft commence. Cleveland Cavaliers have the first pick."

All cameras pointed to the Cavaliers section as they debated on what to do. After almost using up their allocated slot, they received a call and gave their answer to Mr Stern.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded in their first round pick to the LA Lakers for PG Jordan Farmar. With the first pick in the 2013 NBA draft, the LA Lakers select Naruto Namikaze, from Los Angeles, America, and UCLA."

* * *

 **Sorry for the extended wait on the chapter. it was much more difficult than i thought it would be to write it. as i said before, naruto will be paired again but he won't be sleeping around, bad** **example for himawari and all that. there will be more basketball in the following chapters but naruto won't get with anyone for awhile. i will be leaving hints here and there for who he will eventually get with so if you figure it out don't spoil it for others**


	7. Chapter 6

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – **_kurama_**

 **Chapter 6**

He sits there in disbelief as those around him jump up in excitement. He stares at everyone, unable to comprehend what just happened. As Shika pulls him up into a hug, realization finally sinks in. He was drafted straight into his dream team. The team he has supported since he watched his very first game of basketball.

Naruto finally returns all the hugs his friends and family are giving him. He picks up Himawari up and gives her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek before he has to make his way to steps of the stage.

Naruto is handed a LA Laker's cap as he walks up onto stage. He walks over to Mr Stern who is waiting for him with a Laker's top. He shakes Mr Stern's hand and holds one side of the top as they both turn and pose for the cameras.

After enough time has passed, he walks off stage and sees Shika talking to a man that he correctly assumes is his new General Manager. The GM and Shika look over as Naruto makes his way over to them.

"Naruto, my boy, I would just like to welcome you to the Laker's family. Its good to have you with us." The GM holds out his hand to Naruto who gives it an excited shake. "Now, first things first. We will be holding a press conference tomorrow to officially introduce you to the media as part of our franchise. After that we will be going over your contract and any obligations that we might need you to do. We know you are sponsored by Sony already so we will have to go over both contracts to make sure that there aren't any clashes due to the team's sponors. Pre-season training will begin in 10 days so no need to do anything to hectic until then, just make sure to stay fit. We would like for you to come in the day before so you can meet the rest of the staff. If you have any problems please don't hesitate to call me or the coach. If there are any business or media function that you have to attend we will let your agent know so you don't have to worry about that."

Naruto stands there stunned, still not fully realising that this is really happening to him. Shika looks at him and shakes his head in amusement.

"I'm sorry for his lack of responses, he's most likely still trying to process everything. Don't worry about it. I'll make sure his where he needs to be when he needs to be. We'll see you tomorrow, Sir."

The GM smiles and says he understands perfectly, before shaking Shika's hand and walking off to focus on the rest of the draft.

Shika grabs Naruto's collar and walks to the back of the building where the rest of their group are waiting for them. After giving more congratulations to Naruto they all jump in their respective cars and drive off to Jiriaya's house to have a proper celebration.

* * *

Naruto sits down in the chair seated in front of a bunch of microphones as Shika and the GM takes their seats on either side of him. Sitting in front of him is a room full of reporters all waiting to bombard him with questions.

"Naruto! What are your thoughts on being drafted into a Laker's team that is currently far from play-off material?"

"Do you see yourself becoming the new face of the Lakers with Kobe Bryant with injury?"

"Do you see yourself making it to the play-offs this season?"

"What is your ultimate goal now that you have made it this far?"

Naruto glances over at Shika and receives the go ahead to answer the questions however he sees fit. He takes a moment to compose himself and gather his thoughts before leaning towards the microphones and giving everyone of big grin.

"Its honestly a dream come true." Silence greets his statement as everyone besides Shika is completely baffled by his answer. "Whether players like to admit it or not, when we are young kids playing ball and pretending to be whoever we idolise at the time, our biggest dream is to get drafted into a team that hasn't been doing very well, become the face of said team, and then take that team to a level that others just simply can't reach. You all think that the Lakers won't make the play-offs?" The sea of reporters bare witness to the sudden change of intensity in Naruto's eyes. "The Lakers will make it to the play-offs this season with or without Kobe. My aim is to be the GOAT: the Greatest Of All Time. Better than those that came before me and better than anyone that comes after me."

Silence is all that's heard as the room full of reporters are stunned into speechlessness. One reporter gets over his shock quicker than the others and stands up to address Naruto.

"You really think you can become the GOAT? You really think that you are better than the likes of Magic Johnson, Oscar Robinson, MICHEAL JORDAN?! That has got to be one of the most disrespectful thing I have ever heard! How dare you sit there and-"

"Then leave." Once again the room is shocked by the response they receive. "What did you honestly expect me to say and do? Just sit back and relax now that I have made it to the big leagues? If that's what you think then it is YOU who is being disrespectful! I'm here to become the best. In fact, I want each and everyone of you to quote me right here, right now." Naruto stands up and stares down at the entire room. It is then that everyone watching him feels a shiver travel down their spine as the air around him becomes charged with bloodlust. "When I eventually retire from the game, there will be no comparisons; there will be no debates; there will be no what ifs. At the end of my career I will be standing at the very pique of the mountain on which you have put all your great and best players. When I'm done, each and every single person will have no doubts that I was the best to have ever played the game."

Naruto walks out of the conference room while the room bursts into pandemonium due to the statement just made.

* * *

The GM walks into the backroom to find Naruto standing in a corner by himself and Shika leaning against the wall next to the door, typing away on his phone with the biggest smirk on his face. As the GM opens his mouth to speak, Shika quickly grabs him and pulls him outside into the hallway.

"Its really not a good idea to distract him from his thoughts right now. He is still coming down from what we have dubbed his 'Kitsune Mode'."

"'Kitsune Mode'? What the hell is that?"

Shika puts his phone away and straightens his back as his face adopts a serious expression.

"Sir, you have to understand something very important Naruto. For as long as he has been playing basketball, he has only ever played to his full capabilities when someone has truly managed to enrage him. Even at UCLA, there we restrictions put upon him. To be honest, I don't think even he knows just what he's truly capable of."

The GM stands in front of Shika with a shocked expression before shaking his head and gathering his thoughts.

"Why did his coaches place so many restrictions placed on him? Surely they wanted him to push past his limits. It doesn't make sense to hold him back."

"Troublesome…" Shika takes an exaggerated breath before releasing it in a sigh. He drops his shoulders and assumes his lazy pose that people have come to expect of him and his father. He leans back against the wall and looks up at the ceiling as he addresses the GM. "Only Coach Obito Uchiha has ever placed restrictions on Naruto. Even then, it was only because he has known Naruto since he was a kid. Naruto has always, whether he has done it consciously or subconsciously, placed restrictions upon himself when playing against those that are around his age. It was more of a precaution as to not unnecessary injure himself playing at a pace his body wasn't ready for. Now that I think about it, he stopped showing people he's full capability when he started playing again after the death of his parents. Probably the only person to know what level he's at right now is Kakashi Hatake, he's surrogate brother."

Shika drops his head back down and eyes the GM. Even though Shika's expression hasn't changed, the GM can still see the excitement in his eyes and hear it in his voice as clear as day.

"What you just witnessed in the conference was the 'real' Naruto finally making a appearance. You thought Kobe Bryant was competitive? I'm sorry to say this but you are really going to have your hands full once Mr Bryant is back to full health. Naruto is just as much an alpha as Mr Bryant is, only difference being that Naruto still does not know his limits."

Both men then just stand opposite each other, each lost in his own thoughts until the door opens. The GM is further surprised at what he sees. The only similarities between the young athlete he spent years keeping track of and the young athlete standing in front of him was that they looked exactly the same.

Everything else was so different that he started to realise he might have made a huge miscalculation when drafting Naruto. The amount of pressure he was receiving from the young athlete standing in front of him was only comparable to the elite of the elite players in the league. Instead of drafting the next face of the Lakers, the GM was starting to believe he drafted in the player who would go on to drag the NBA into a new era whether it wanted to go there or not.

"Ehem." His brought out of his thoughts by the sound of someone clearing their throat. He looks up and it takes all of his self control to not flinch away from the intense gaze being put on him by Naruto. Even so, he can't help the involuntary gulp that slides down his throat. His mind flashes to a scene of him standing in front of a deadly predator. "I'll be at the training facility the day before practice officially starts, just as you asked. Shika can handle anything and everything you might need me for and will bring me any papers that might need my signature." Naruto turns around and walks down the corridor towards the exit of the building g while pulling out his phone. "Gai-sensei, its me. I'm gonna need you and Lee to clear your schedules for the next seven days. There's a move I wanna perfect before the start of the regular that I could really use your help with…"

Naruto's voice fades away as he walks around the corner. The GM then turns to see Shika walking back into the room.

"Troublesome blond… Well you heard my client." The gleam in Shika's eyes returns as he gives the GM a bloodthirsty grin. "Now the, what say you to us discussing the details of my Client's contract, Mr General Manager?"

* * *

The day before he had to be at the training facility found Naruto spending some much needed time with Himawari. They were in the kitchen bust making pancakes before Tsunade came home to scold them for eating unhealthily. Just as the put the last batch into the oven, Shika came walking in with a suitcase in hand.

"Uncle Shika!" Himawari screams in delight. She climbs down from her stool at the counter and attempts to give him a hug, only for Naruto to grab a hold of her.

"Not a good idea to get Shika's fancy suit covered in dough, Hime. Why don't you take Kurama and go get cleaned up before you give him a hug?" Himawari gives a cute pout before pulling Kurama out of a bowl of dough and running upstairs to wash up. "What brings your around, Shika? I thought I was only gonna see you tomorrow before we both went to the gym."

"Well, now that we are almost officially in the big leagues, as your Agent I had to make sure the we are connected to a good agency that will help us out if we ever have any trouble. I went around looking at all the top sport agencies around this side of the world and while some of them would have been an ideal choice, my dad and I decided to take a gamble and have you and I the first athlete and sports agent represented by Sony."

Shika places his briefcase on a clean spot atop the counter before taking out a bunch of papers and spreading them all out. Naruto wipes his hands clean before walking over to Shika.

"So what's all this then?"

"This is all the contracts you have to decide on so far, besides the main one you'll be receiving from the team tomorrow. The first batch is for your personal brand that will be outside of the team's brand. Basically, you'll be wearing your own shoes and socks and such things." Shika places two stacks of paper in front of Naruto and hands him a pen. "I narrowed it down to two choices: Nike or Adidas. I knew you wouldn't pick Jordan, for obvious reasons."

Naruto glances through both contracts before putting them down to focus on Shika.

"I know you have an idea of who I should go for Shika. So tell me what you think."

"Troublesome… Nike would be the obvious choice. They are currently the leading brand in sports wear and all that stuff. They are also offering you more money. The drawbacks are that they already of a bunch of superstars to their name. Honestly, they just wouldn't have enough time and resource's to put an appropriate amount of attention on you. Even if you do climb all the to the top of their list, you would just be taking over someone else's spot at the top, not creating your own. Adidas may not be able to compete with Nike right this moment but I have seen some of their ideas for some break through products. If you sign with them you would get a lot of attention, especially if you play as well as you said you would. You would literally be changing the controlling powers in the league; dragging the entire NBA into a new era."

Naruto glances at the stack of papers once more before grabbing a pen and singing for Adidas. Shika looks over it to make sure everything is in order before putting it in his briefcase and sliding another stack of papers in front of Naruto.

"This is the Sony contract. I won't go into all the details but basically you will be getting and will have to advertise all the latest products that they send your way. Also, it details the details in there concerning them representing us and us basically starting an entirely new branch for the company. There's a section in there about Hima-hime as well." At Naruto's raised eyebrow, Shika flips through the contract until he finds what he is looking for before sliding it back across the counter. "They basically want Himawari to be the face of a new branch of their company that focuses on the younger generation. She will of course be paid but I put in the stipulation that all the money would be out into a trust found that I already went ahead with and set up." Shika grabs the contract again and turns to the last couple of pages. "This is the most important part of the contract. It basically tells you that you shall be the face of their brand here in the USA, as well as the proverbial doorway into our 'community' we have established here."

Naruto tried to read through some of the details of the contract but couldn't understand most of what was being said. Eventually, he just signed where he was supposed to. Trusting Shika's intelligence way more than his own.

"Now that that's all done, we can speak about tomorrow." Naruto perks up instantly at the mention of his first visit to the team's HQ. "There won't be a conference but you can expect a lot of reporters to be there after the statements that you mad. You will first have a medical examine to determine that everything is okay and to get your official stats. After that you'll sign your contract. I already went over everything. Don't be expecting a lot of money since you are only a rookie. After that it'll be a shoot around with the rest of the team…" Shika trailed off as he noticed a gleam appear in Naruto's eyes. "Ruto, what are you planning to do tomorrow?"

"I'm planning to finally test my limits and how far I can push them."

"…troublesome blond."

* * *

Naruto and Shika stepped out of the car and into the parking. Walking to the front of the building they are greeted by the GM who takes them through the front doors to give them a tour of the place.

At the end of the tour both young men were impressed with the place. They stopped outside what they soon found out to be the doctor's office. The GM walks in and after a minute calls them in.

"Guys, let me introduce you to the main guy taking care of the players on the roster. We just call him Doc. He, along with his team standing around here, will be doing the evaluation and you, Naruto. The results will be your official stats for this season. While that's busy happening, Shika and I will be going over your contract one last time before you sign."

With that, Shika and the GM walked out the office and left Naruto to the mercy of Doc and his assistants. They just about finished reading over the contract when Naruto and Doc walked in. Naruto sat down next Shika as Doc went over to give the GM and paper report while summarising the main points.

"Overall, he is in remarkable shape. He grew a few inches so he's now standing at 6ft 3 inches. He's most impressive physical traits are his speed and incredible explosive power. He already has a vertical of over 41 inches. I have no idea about his handles or shooting capabilities but im sure you'll find that out for yourself later."

The GM takes the report and clips it to the rest of the contract before placing it in front of Naruto.

"The basic outline is the standard rookie contract that will be renegotiated at the end of your first season. You are guaranteed 10 minutes whenever you are on the roster for a game unless we planned beforehand to rest you. There are a couple team commitments that shall be expected of you. Anything else, I'm sure your agent can fill you in on those."

Naruto stares at the pen and paper in front of him. Just one last signature and he'll finally be able to begin his campaign of becoming the GOAT. He glances at Shika and can see the excitement in his eyes. This is what they have both worked for. Naruto picks the pen up and signs on the dotted line with a confident stroke. All four men stand up as they all shake hands. The GM addresses both men in front.

"Welcome to the Laker Family boys!"

* * *

 **hey and here is the next chapter. sorry for the long wait :D okay so this is shorter than the usual cause i wanted to get all the contract stuff out of the way before we get into the actual playing of the game. no, naruto will not have multiple women to sleep with. no, it won't be instantly sleeping with each other. AND NO I WILL NOT TELL YOU WHO SHE IS! i'll be updating at least once a week if i'm not to busy with** **studies. so leave a comment and let me no what you think**

 **P.S. fuck you to the anonymous review comment person thing**


	8. Chapter 7

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 7**

Shika and the GM were walking down the corridor towards the gym, intent on watching the first meeting between Naruto and the Lakers team. Just as they got to within reaching distance of the doors, they were stopped by a call coming from behind them.

"Shikamaru, I didn't think I would get the opportunity today but I would like to introduce you to two very important individuals in the Laker's franchise." The GM waves Shika forward and casually waves his hand towards the figures standing before them. "Please I allow me to introduce to you, Irving Johnson, co-owner of the LA Lakers, and Kobe Bryant, the current face of our franchise."

Shika, for once, is awestruck to be meeting two legends of the basketball world, one of which is still currently playing. He shakes hands with both imposing figures and the steps back thinking that they are here to talk to the GM. Those thoughts are dashed when Magic starts speaking.

"I'm glad we managed to catch you before you guys got inside. Shikamaru, there is something Kobe and myself would like to speak to you about concerning Naruto."

Hearing this Shika becomes concerned but follows them down the hallway. They stop in front of a door with plaque that states 'Mamba's Office'. Walking inside, Shika takes note of all the tapes and papers placed upon the circular conference table in the middle of the room and the huge flat screen of the wall opposite the door.

Kobe walks around the table to the TV and indicates for the other men in the room to take a seat.

"This is my room I use to study the players I feel deserve my attention. I spend hours upon hours in here watching tapes, studying players, making notes on how to get pass them or shut them down." He gestures to the big mess on table and indicates that Shika should take a look.

Shika picks up a few pages and skims through them, eyes widening in shock at what he reads upon them.

"As you can see, I have recently been studying our latest draft pick. I always make sure to study my teammates to ensure that I am able to utilize them to their full potential. I have kept an eye on Naruto for a the past two years now, after hearing about him making free throws with a dislocated shoulder, and I must say that I was impressed. So impressed that I got Magic over here to find me all available footage of his college games. I have studied his game quite intensely." Kobe picks up a stack of papers and flips through them. "He is the perfect PG, able to find teammates with ease, great court vision, great handling skills, cool and calm under pressure. He fits in perfectly with me. He can clearly take over the game if need be. But…", Kobe sets his intense stare on Shika, "… I noticed something very odd about him."

Kobe flicks a button on a remote and the flat screen lights up. All four men watch highlights of Naruto play on the screen.

"Like I said, I was impressed. But then I started noticing the slight hesitation he has every now and then, moments where I get the feeling his about to take a shot or take on an opponent 1v1. It intrigued me so I dug a little deeper."

Kobe switches to another set of highlights, highlights that Shika knows like the back of his hand due to the number of hours he himself has spent studying them.

"I managed to find a tape of the game Naruto set the high school scoring record. I can say without a doubt that the Naruto you are seeing on the screen right now is Naruto at his best." Kobe switches the screen off and takes a seat at the table. "Even though he is a PG, and a fucking good one at that, it is not his natural position. That game is the only game in which he was completely tired afterward, meaning that he was able to play all out. His position should be SG or SF. He can be a back up PG on the court but his instinct is to attack."

Shika leans back on his seat and lets out a heartfelt laugh at what he just heard. He takes a glance at the pages before him and can't help the feeling of happiness that someone other than himself finally noticed what he did.

"I couldn't agree more with you even if I tried. You are absolutely right about him. I don't think even he has noticed that about himself. The thing is, as much as all of us loved the game, there was no one around him that could ever give him that push to go all out. It happened once or twice in college but that was against a teammate. Naruto has never had someone to truly push him past his limits. I believe that over time he started to subconsciously suppress that desire to utterly dominate his opponents for fear of losing interest in the game." A nostalgic smile appears on Shika's face as he loses himself in past memories only he can see. "When we first started playing together Naruto was very different to how he is today. Once he stepped on the court you could easily feel and see the shift in him. He was our Ace, the one who always received the ball in a clutch situation. He would show no mercy even at the end of the game when we were clearly the winners, he would rush the rim and rain down 3's while the defenders just begged the ref to call the game.

He was still an amazing PG but he truly outclassed everyone when it came to scoring. He could take over a game so easily that at times it felt like he didn't even need the rest of us to be on the court. It was during when training camp we all went to that he changed his style of play. During that camp is was so obvious how far ahead he was compared to everyone else that the teams playing against him started giving up as soon as they knew he was their opponent. That was a difficult time for him but it also lead to him devoting the rest of his time and skill to being a perfect team player. For those of us that truly knew him, it was easy to see during those first few years that he struggled with controlling his killer instinct."

Shika shook himself out of his turn down memory lane and looked up at the three men sitting around him, all of whom had their heads gathered together in a quiet conversation. Finally, it seemed like they came to an agreement. Magic reached inside his blazer jacket and produced a stack of papers, which he handed to Shika.

"For years now, Kobe has been the face of the Laker's. However, he is coming along in age, which is made all the more obvious by his current injury. To put it bluntly, we need a to insure that the franchise has someone to fall back onto once Kobe leaves." Magic indicates the papers in Shika's hands. "That details the plans we have for Naruto."

"I want one last shot at the title." All eyes turned towards Kobe at his proclamation. "The next season will likely be my last as a player. This season is already a bust because of my Achilles. At best I'll only be able to make it back onto the team around mid season. If Naruto manages to keep the team in a play-off position then I might even delay my return. Next season I want to make a play for the championship right from the beginning of the season." Magic takes over from Kobe.

"We need Naruto to take over the team this season. We realize that it's a lot to ask but as you can see from the papers, we are planning to build the team around him. What we need from you is to be the go between guy. As his friend and manager you know him better than almost anyone else, which allows you access to his way of thinking. If there are any players that the two of you think will be beneficial for him to play with then let us know and we shall do our best to make it happen."

Shika stares at the men before him in amazing.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to give a rookie player this amount of power of the team? I mean, he hasn't even played a single game yet!"

"I know that look in his eye." Shika stares at Kobe with clear confusion in his eyes. "Just taking a quick glance at him will tell you that his a really friendly kid with a happy-go-lucky attitude. But for those of us who played at the top level for so long, its as plain as day. We can tell just from his walk and how he interacts with those around him, he is utterly confidant in his skill. He truly believes he can keep up with the best of them and even if he can't, that intense look that flashes across his face every now and then ensures that he'll work his fucking ass off until there's no doubt in anyone's mind that he is the best."

Shika breaks out into amused chuckles as he points his finger at Kobe.

"He reminds you of yourself, doesn't he?" At Kobe's nod Shika just shakes his head in amusement before falling silent with a serious look on his face. "To be honest, I don't really know how he'll play now that's he's in the top league. He'll definitely still be a PG but I'm almost certain he'll be most comfortable as the SG or SF. So at best, the team will have a back-up PG on the court as well as someone who can shoot from distance and attack the basket." All four men sit in quiet contemplation, thinking of the best way to utilize Naruto's abilities. Eventually Kobe gets up and heads towards the door.

"Well, let's go watch the practice session. I'm interested to see how well he handles himself while around NBA level players. I don't care what the plans are for this kid. I won't just hand over the reigns to someone who's not on my level."

* * *

The four men walk into the gym to see that everyone is around there getting ready for the practice session. Glancing about the gym trying to locate Naruto, Shika spies a sight that does nothing to put his nerves at ease.

"Troublesome…" The men around him spare him a glance before following his train of sight.

Naruto was going through his warm up exercises within the gym, away from all the other players. He was in a quiet corner by himself; headphones blaring music into his ears, drowning out everything around him. He was dribbling a basketball around his body, getting into rhythm. What drew the attention of everyone watching him was the ease at which he was playing with the ball. It looked like he was barely paying attention to what he was doing but Shika knew him better than that.

"That's his ritual he does before a big game. He drowns out all noise by turning the volume up on the headphones and dribbles the ball to whatever song is playing. You can tell his been at it for awhile now cause his got a little bounce to his step."

With that, all four men walk over to join the coaches on the other side of the gym to watch the practice. The team went through exercises designed to test the fitness of the players. Even though none of the players were unfit due to the off-season, it was easily seen by all that Naruto was one of the fittest members out there. When most of the players took to the side lines during break, Naruto was on the court practicing on dribbling from one side of the court to the other before doing a lay-up. Compare to what Gai and Lee put him through this practice session was like a breeze for him.

Over on the sidelines, the spectators were in awe watching the ease at which Naruto went through the session. Most couldn't believe that he was outlasting a lot of the veterans.

"That can't be right."

"Isn't he just out of college?"

"And check out the amount of muscle on him! We haven't even gotten into the weight room yet but he looks like he'll be able to breeze through that as well."

"Do you think some roids were involved?"

"It's nothing of the sort." Shikamaru finally speaks up in defense of his friend. "What you are looking at is all the blood, sweat, and tears he has put into basketball since he was a little kid. So what if he's outlasting most of them? Did you honestly think he was going to stop working his ass off just because he made it to the big league? The NBA is just another step to achieving his dream."

Most of those who made comments hung their heads in embarrassment. They eventually all turned back to the court to watch the players.

The team were now going through formations, working through game situations. In the beginning of the exercise Naruto was a bit overwhelmed. Not being used to this level of basketball, he wasn't putting on the best performance. Not to say he was playing bad, it just wasn't his best. Add on the fact that he had Nick Young in his face, taunting him for most of the practice game, Naruto was quickly becoming frustrated.

"Come on, Rookie!" Young smacks the ball out of Naruto's hands and races down the court for an easy lay-up. "You got to do better than that. Do you even want to be here?" Young jumps up and blocks a 3-pointer from Naruto. "You should have gone somewhere else. This is my team now!" He fouls Naruto with a hand to the face after making an attempt at the ball. Nick stands over Naruto and spreads his arms.

"Go home Rookie!"

 **Bzzzzzt**

The buzzer goes off to signal a break to the game. Naruto walks over to the bench and puts a towel over his head, trying to drown out everyone else. After a short minute he feels someone standing over him but doesn't lift his head to see who it is.

"Young is nowhere no a good 1v1 defender yet you are letting him walk all over you. And those passes you were trying to make? All of them were pathetic. I watched your tapes; saw what you can do; saw the potential you have to take this team back to the top. If you are happy and content with where you are right now, with being second best, then maybe I was wrong about you. Go out there, roll over, show your stomach, and be the good little dog that most of them are starting to believe you are."

Naruto waits for the footsteps of the person fade away but they pause after a few steps.

" Is that all you got?"

Naruto glances up and witnesses his favourite player of all time walk away from him, disappointment clearly shown in his body language. Instead of making Naruto sad and depressed, the image of Kobe Bryant walking away from him like that just pisses him off.

More angry than he has been in a really long time Naruto snatches the towel off his head and throws it back on the chair before walking over to Shikamaru at the coaches bench. Shika watches his friend approach him and allows a smirk to grace his face.

"Troublesome… so you have decided then Ruto?" He reaches into his blazer pocket and hands over a pair of sweatbands. "They saw your Highschool footage."

Naruto tightens the sweatbands around his wrists while everyone watches his face fall into a casually bored look, like he doesn't find anyone them interesting.

"If you saw that footage then you know I'm no dog." He fixes Kobe Bryant with a heated glare even though the bored look remains on his face. "Second best? Don't make me laugh. You clearly don't know who you are speaking to." Naruto turns his back on the legend and walks away while calling over his shoulder. "But then again, a black mamba could ever dream of beating a kitsune!"

The sound of someone chuckling brought the attention of the coaches towards Kobe.

"You might wanna get what comes next on tape."

 **Bzzzzzt**

Naruto was standing in the right hand corner of the court, Nick Young once again standing in front of him. Steve Nash was dribbling the ball up the court while looking for someone to pass to. Steve tries to pass the ball to Pau Gasol but it gets tipped. One of the players on the opposing side grabs the ball and races down the court. Just as he jumps in the air for what he thinks will be an easy lay-up, Naruto appears above him in the air to slap the ball against the backboard. Naruto lands, grabs the ball, and races back down the court.

Young steps in front of him and Naruto drives left while dribbling the ball with his left hand. Just as Young takes a step to get back in front of Naruto, Naruto bounces the ball behind his back before turning on his left foot and performing a 360 spin around Young. As he completes the spin he grabs and dribbles the ball with his right hand before once again sprinting towards the basket at full sprint, leaving behind an off balance and bewildered Nick Young.

As he gets to the paint, another defender steps in his way. He turns towards his right while casually lobbing the ball over the defender for Pau Gasol to perform an ally-oop. The gym is silenced by the magnificent play Naruto just performs yet he does nothing but jogs back like he didn't just do something amazing.

When everyone gets over their shock the ball gets inbounded again. The opponent PG dribbles the ball up the court before passing it to Young, expecting him to get passed Naruto again like he has been doing the whole game. Naruto presses right up against Young as soon as the ball is in his hands, preventing him from dribbling in fear of it being stolen. Young takes a quick dribble to his left before taking a step back to behind the 3-point line to take a shot. As he releases the ball Naruto is already in the air to smack it back down. Steve Nash grabs the ball before throwing it up court to an open Naruto who comes to almost a dead stop behind the 3-point line to release a shot which catches nothing but net.

The opponents score the next basket but Naruto doesn't give them a chance to celebrate it. He calls for the inbound before driving down the court. A defender steps in front of him but he spies Gasol performing a screen on the right hand side. He gets past the defender before performing a pump fake and then throwing a bounce pass to Gasol who ran down the lane after the screen for a dunk.

As the ball is inbounded Naruto appears in front of the opponent as smacks it towards Nash who drills it in for a rare 3-pointer.

Setting up on defense again Naruto waits for the ball to land in Young's hands. As soon as it does he steps back and spreads his arms out in a clear challenge for a 1v1. What surprises Naruto is the sneer that appears on Young's face before he passes the ball, not wanting to go against Naruto.

When Gasol gets the rebound off of a bad shot Naruto runs down the court while calling for the ball. Gasol throws it and Naruto receives it just as he passes half court. Once again Young appears in front of him. Naruto drives towards Young before using his right hand to bounce the ball through his legs while leaning his body to the left. As he sees Young lean his body in to reach for the ball, Naruto quickly bounces it behind his back with his left hand before catching it with his right and driving to the hoop. As Young stumbles and lands on his hands and knees, Naruto jumps high into the air from the free-throw line. With his legs bent behind him from the force of the jump, Naruto's head reaches the height of the rim of the basket. He gets about halfway to the hoop before he twists his body to the left while throwing down his right arm, slamming the ball into the basket without his hand even touching the hoop. Naruto lands back on the court with bent knees before straightening up and shouting out with pure passion.

The players stare in shock at such a difficult dunk being performed by their newest teammate. On the sidelines, the coaches and managerial staff are shocked back into silence. Even Shikamaru has his mouth dropped open in shock. Kobe is on his feet in excitement.

'I found him! He'll get me my last ring!'

Naruto casually walks back towards Young, who is still on the floor after witnessing that dunk. Naruto crouches down on his left knee in front of Young while his right arm on his right leg and putting his left hand on his hip. He speaks in a calm tone that is laced with a dangerous tint, betraying the bored look that once again adorns his face.

"Who did you think you were thinking you could challenge me on my court? You won't ever beat me. You will never be on my level." Even though he spoke softly Naruto's voice carries throughout the silent gym. The sheer amount of confidence with which he speaks causes many in the gym to look at him very differently from the happy-go-lucky kid most of them thought him to be. "You will never challenge me on this court again. So let me tell you this now." Naruto stands and makes his way over to Kobe, who stares him down all the way. Everyone else in the gym can feel the pressure being released from the two alphas of the team increase as the intensity of the stare down becomes more and more heated.

"This is what I've got."

* * *

It was the end of the week so everyone was by Jiriaya's house for a family lunch day. Himawari was currently running around in the back yard with Kurama chasing after her. The adults were all on the back deck relaxing and catching up on what's been going on in everyone's lives. Suddenly Shikamaru comes racing out that house shouting for everyone's attention.

"Guys, you have to come see this!"

Everyone rushes back inside to see what the commotion is. They all file into the living room to see the TV showing a live conference being held by the Laker's. Sitting behind a table filled with microphones are Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and the GM, all answering questions being asked by the media before them.

"Magic, how do you feel about your new signing and what does he bring to the team?"

"Well, I think that we made the right choice in signing Naruto. I couldn't be happier. Even from just one practice its easy to see that he is capable of bringing a lot to the table in terms of offensive options for the team."

"Kobe, with your injury keeping you out until around the All-Star game, what do you think the chances are of you guys making it to the play-offs this season?"

"Well, obviously it's a huge setback to the team but I'm sure we'll be able to just scrape by. As long as the team is able to gel together effectively, I'm sure we can make the play-offs."

"Kobe, you are obviously reaching the end of your career. This currently injury to your Achilles must have given you a lot of food for thought about retiring. At this moment, do you feel okay with handing over the reigns of the team to someone else?"

"Absolutely not. I'm not saying that I don't trust any of my teammates, I just believe that there is still so much more I can do for the team. Even if that wasn't the case, the only time I will hand over the reigns is if someone forcefully takes them from me. Since no one has been able to do that yet, I'll continue leading this team."

The conference continues with more questions but none of them are important. Everyone in the room then disperses into the own little groups. Naruto puts Kurama on his head and picks Himawari up before walking to the kitchen in search of snacks. Shika and Sasuke follow him.

"Ruto, we got to talk about who you want on the team."

Sasuke looks between them in confusion.

"What team?"

"Oh yeah, you wouldn't know. The high-ups in the franchise want me to pick players I wanna surround myself with. According to Shika, the want me to be the new face once Kobe retires."

"That's what they planned and its actually a very good plan. You just have to make sure that whoever you pick will be able to gel together."

"Yeah, I know. I was thinking that we don't need another Center. We got Gasol and his really good. I want someone that focuses on 3-pointers, there's not really any point in getting another ball handler once Kobe is back to full health, plus we still got Steve Nash. Other than that, maybe a PF but I'm sure we can deal without one for the time being."

Shika writes all that down before walking out to make a couple phone calls, leaving Sasuke and Naruto alone with a happily munching Himawari and Kurama.

"So how are things with Sakura going?"

Sasuke looks around nervously before leaning over the counter to whisper.

"I'm going to be a father. Sakura is 2 months pregnant."

Naruto squeals like a little girl for skipping around the kitchen in glee.

"Oh my, Sasuke this is amazing! I can't wait to see the little baby person. I do hope that it takes after Sakura in the looks department. No offence but you aren't really nice to look at." Naruto says in a feminine voice.

HImawari nods her head while giggling at her father's antics. Sasuke's voice turns red in embarrassment before he reaches into the fruit bowl to throw an apple at Naruto's head.

"Shut up Dobe!" Sasuke takes a calming breath before he continues. "We're waiting for the right moment to tell everyone else."

"Go for it Sasuke-kyoufu! You and Sakura-kyoubo will have a very beautiful baby."

"Thanks Hima-hime." Sasuke walks around to give Himawari a hug before walking out the kitchen to find Sakura.

* * *

Naruto walks into the office and closes the door behind him.

"Ah, Naruto. Thanks for coming on such short notice." The GM waves his hand to indicate that Naruto should take a seat. "Now I won't keep you long cause I know you want to get back to practice. I want to tell you about Vegas."

"Vegas? What's happening in Vegas?"

"The summer league starts soon. Naruto," the GM fixes Naruto with a serious stare down, "I want you to completely dominate it."

* * *

 **okay i know this isn't a proper update but i read through the previous chapters and i found something amiss with the plot. i just had to change it before anyone noticed. for those that noticed before, well done:D**


	9. Chapter 8

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 8**

"So let me get this straight. Let me see if I can figure this out. Allow me a moment to wrap my mind around this. Please just…"

Everyone else just rolled their eyes and let Kiba carry on his monologue in the background. Himawari was sleeping on the carpet with Kurama and Akamaru on either side of her. It was evening and the had gone down an hour ago. Earlier in the day after the GM had given Naruto his instructions and expectations for the upcoming Summer League happening in Vegas, Shika called everyone else for a discussion concerning the future of their entire family. It was Temari who brought everyone's attention back into focus.

"I agree with Sakura and Kakashi. We should all try and go to Vegas. Not only will it give Naruto a huge support base but it'll also show Sony that we are still all very much involved in each other's lives. They have already contacted most of us here. It's a good idea to show them that the faith they out in our family is not misplaced."

"Temari has a point," everyone turned to Jiriaya, "we need to show everyone that we will be there to support and protect Naruto. Whether he likes it or not, Naruto is basically representing each and every single one of us when it comes to the public. The way Shika and Sony have planned this out is that while Sony sponsors all the businesses our big family is involved in, we will also be able to use Naruto's name and face to draw in more attention from the public. I know some of you may think that we are just using Naruto but it's not like that at all. You are his family. This is his way of repaying you for everything you have done for him over the years. You have helped him, now let him help you."

"I also think we should have plan a schedule for groups of us to go to the home games at the Staple Center." All eyes turned to Choji as he added his opinion. "It'll make sure Naruto always has someone in his corner as well as someone to take care of Hima-chan during the game. Naruto gets a certain amount of free passes per game for family members and friends, so all we have to do is give our times and stuff to Shika and he can sort everything else out."

Before anyone else could say anything on the matter, Kiba makes himself known again by bouncing around in front of everyone.

"Hello! Back to the main issue at hand! They want Naruto to go and dominate the Summer League with none of the regular members of the roster except for Nick Young. Nick Young! The teammate that has it out for Naruto! Is no one else at all concerned about this?!"

"Kiba calm down!" Shika rolls his eyes as he shouts at Kiba. "This was planned between me and the higher-ups. Even though he was the number 1 draft pick, we need him to have a good showing at the Summer League so that we can entice other players into wanting to play for him. We also need for him and Nick Young to get along better because Young is currently our best shooter beyond the arc besides Naruto."

"Where is Naruto anyway? Doesn't he have to be in Vegas in two weeks?"

"He got permission from the coach and Magic to go and get some specialized training done. He will meet us in Vegas for the opening game."

* * *

Naruto was panting for breath. Sweat was pouring down his face onto the floor as he struggled to catch his breath through the training mask he was using to strengthen his lungs.

"Again!"

At the command Naruto raced down the right side of the court as fast as he could before catching a ball at the 3-point line and going up for a dunk before landing and racing towards the other side of the court to repeat the process. This continued for another minute before he was told to stop.

He was allowed a 10-minute break before he was told to go to the free-throw line. His opponent got in front of him and started dribbling the ball.

"Now I don't want you to defend yet. Just watch and listen." His opponent begins to dribble the ball in more peculiar movements. "You have to continue watching his body movement as well as his eyes. However, the area you need to focus on the most are his hands when handling the ball. A really good ball handler can get the ball to do almost anything as soon as he sees his defender move. You already know all this but you are going to have to be able to focus on all three key areas during a game. You are especially going to have to keep up your concentration levels when you are in the final minutes of the game and its all up to you to stop the PG or the closer from making the play that gives your opponents the lead."

Naruto tries to keep his concentration up but the lack of oxygen he is getting because of the mask is making it really hard. Just as he loses his focus, the feeling of the ball hitting his face brings him back to reality. He rubs his sore forehead before getting in his defensive crouch again and watching his opponent's movements.

"I know you are tired but that mask is the best substitute we have to replicate the immense pressure you'll be feeling in the game. Due to your position you'll often be the first line of defense. With the way you explained things to me, it'll be your job to lock down the opposition's most dangerous players. Now I can't help you with the Centers and PF's you'll be facing, they are much to big for either of us to deal with effectively, but I can definitely prepare you for other PG's and SG's."

Naruto was struggling with listening to what was being said as well as keeping up with the exercise. Even though he wasn't moving, the mental strain that he was putting his mind through, as well as the mask he was quickly starting to hate, was ensuring that he was quickly becoming fatigued.

Just as he was about to lose his concentration again, everything started to slow down to a crawl. He could see every small movement made by his opponent. Without a conscious thought his body started moving on its own. He reached out for the ball before noticing the angle it was in his opponent's hands. He quickly pushed off with his left foot to jump to the right in anticipation of where his instincts told him to be. As his eyes caught sight of the ball coming towards him from behind his opponent's back, he quickly reached out with his right hand to knock it away. Just as he was about to reach the ball a hand quickly came out of no where to bounce it away from him. Naruto stumbles to the ground after missing the ball while his opponent casually does a lay-up.

"Not bad. You are getting better. Daiki was right. If you went up against us in high school then you would have surpassed us long time ago. As it is right now, as much as it irritates me to say you are stay levels above us. The only reason you 1v1 skills are below your other skills is because you never had anyone to push you past those limits. But do not worry," Naruto looks towards the door as three figures walk into the gym, "we'll make sure to bring those skills up to par by the end of these two weeks."

Naruto was too tired to do anything more than nod his head as Daiki Aomine walked towards him with a red head on his left side and a golden head on his right. He brings his attention back to the shortest man in front of him. While he was easily the shortest in the gym, Naruto knew he was looking at a very dangerous player.

"Allow me to show you," lightning flickered in the eyes of all four men in front of him, "why it is foolish to stand before the Emperor of the court."

* * *

Naruto's family and friends were all sitting in the bleaches of the T-Mobile Arena in Vegas, waiting for the start of the match that would feature the Lakers in their first game of the Summer League. None of them have seen Naruto since he went away for his specialized training except for Himawari who he made sure to Skype each day. Shika was currently on the phone speaking to one of the people who helped Naruto.

"How was he?"

"To be completely honest with you, he completely terrifies me. I thought that the growth rate of my former team was remarkable but his over shadows ours' be a wide margin. Granted, we aren't on the same level as the NBA greats but we could still easily become key member on most of the teams at this current time."

"Do you think he is ready for the real thing? I know that it's the Summer League right now but I need to know if he can handle the important players in the league."

"I think he'll be okay after a few games against each of them. Playing against the normal NBA caliber players will be good for him for now but he has to test himself against the best players so he can sharpen his skills even further."

"Okay, thanks for everything Seijuro. I definitely owe you one."

"It was nothing. Just make sure he knows that we will be coming for him in a couple of years."

With that the line goes dead and Shika puts his phone in his pocket. When the teams walk onto the court right before the start of the game Shika takes Himawari to the commentators box for her usual ritual with Naruto. The Lakers were up against the Cavaliers.

As Naruto walked towards Himawari, Shikamaru couldn't stop the shiver of excitement that went up his spine. It was that Naruto changed physically; he just gave off an even more dangerous feeling than before his training trip. He looked to be more confidant in himself. He walked like he already knew the outcome of the match.

"Hey Ruto, how was the trip?"

Naruto looked at Shikamaru after he gave a hug and a kiss to Himawari. The look in his eyes froze Shikamaru where he stood. It was the same look he had when they used to go to the youth camps, before he changed his playing style.

"I'm tired Shika."

After saying his piece Naruto went to take up his position on the court while Shika took Himawari back to the family. When he got there all the guys noticed a change in Shika. It was Sasuke that asked the question on everyone's mind.

"What's wrong? What did Naruto say?"

Shikamaru was too shook up to respond to the question so Himawari answered for him.

"Daddy told Uncle Shika that he was tired." Everyone noticed the change that overcame the young men after hearing what Himawari told them. They each gained a serious look while they stared at Naruto on the court.

It was finally Obito who couldn't stand being left out of the hoop any longer.

"Will you please just tell us what the big deal is?"

"He said the exact same thing to Shika right before the game where he stopped playing the way he wanted."

"He had a different style of playing?"

"He's a scorer." Most eyes turned to Kakashi. "I only know that because I helped him suppress his natural instincts on the court. What you are about to witness during this match, is the style of basketball that Naruto has always forced himself not to play."

* * *

The entire arena was simply in awe at what was just witnessed. Right from the get go Naruto completely dominated the entire game. Naruto was outscoring the entire team the Cavs brought to Summer League. To add insult to injury, he was involved in almost all the points the Lakers scored.

However, it wasn't just offense that Naruto was dominating. His lock down defense of the opposing PG was so intense that the Cavs had to consistently switch out players because they were tiring out too quickly. With his extraordinary speed Naruto was also putting a stop to most of the fast breaks the Cavs tried to pull, managing to get three chase-down blocks.

At half-time the Lakers were leading at 67 – 34. Naruto having scored 35 of those points. Not all of his teammates were happy about his performance though.

"What the hell man?!" Nick Young makes his displeasure known on the bench during the half-time talk. He stands in front of Naruto who is taking a sip of his energy drink and talking to the coach of the strategy for the second half. "You keeping the ball all to yourself isn't helping any of us anytime to show our skills! I have been open in the corner at least a dozen times yet the ball doesn't come my way!" Naruto keeps ignoring Young, which just infuriates him even more. "Don't ignore me dammit!"

Young smacks the drink out of Naruto's hand causing the entire team to take note of the ensuing fight. Even the audience started to pay attention to the Laker's bench with a couple of cameras swiveling their way to capture the moment.

Naruto looks up at Young with his face set in his usually bored expression when he's really feeling good about the game. His eye however, told an entirely different story. Young flinches back at the intense gaze being sent his way, the tension increasing as Naruto struggles to control himself.

When he eventually speaks, it's in a quiet tone that's laced with fury.

"I have given everyone an equal amount of chances when I have been on the court. Just because I have scored most of the points doesn't mean no one else is getting chances at the basket. And about the ball coming your way? You're fucking lazy on defense, treating this like a game in the park. When the ball has come your way you miss your shots or cause a turnover. Of course I'm not going to pass the ball to you! But if you really wanna showcase your skills then I'll let you." Naruto gets up from his seat and stands face to face with Young. Even though Young was a good couple of inches taller, it was Naruto that was winning the intimidation battle.

Suddenly Naruto's face changes into a vicious grin, not even trying to hide his bloodlust any longer. The look in his eyes changing to one that promises pain and humiliation for anyone standing in his way.

"In the next quarter I'll make sure you get the ball much more. For every shot you take, I'll take one straight after. Lets see the skills you boast so much about."

Naruto walks onto the court giving off a very violent aura. Up in the stands, the guys were the first to take note of this.

"Uh-oh. Looks like Young finally caused Naruto to snap."

"What a fucking dumbass!"

"There's a reason he kept the 'kitsune' side of him locked up. Guess Naruto is letting him out to play."

Starting off the third quarter, Naruto calls for a screen. He drives to the left before twisting his body to the right. While all the defenders move to where they think the ball will be going Naruto flicks it behind his back with his right hand, straight into the surprised hands of Nick Young who is waiting behind the 3-point line in the left corner of the court. Not expecting to actually get the ball, Young takes a moment before shooting the ball. However, that moment proves to be costly as a defender appears in the air before him to block the shock.

Naruto races back to stop the fast break by getting in front of the Cavs' SF who grabbed the ball. As he watches the SF drive right, he feels a presence on his left-hand side. Quickly, using his right foot as a pivoting point, Naruto twists to the right. Dodging the screen that tried to block him, he smacks the ball out of the hands of the SF. As he sees a teammate reach for the now loose ball he races up the court, right into the same position Young was in. he calls for the ball and as soon as it lands in his hands he jumps up and releases it, watching it all the way as it rattles into the basket.

The next time the ball is in his hands Young decides to drive to the basket for a lay-up. As he jumps in the air a defender jumps with him, causing him to lose his concentration and miss the hoop. Naruto, anticipating that Young would miss, runs forward and jumps in the air just as the ball begins to come back down, only to slam it down for a put-back dunk.

This continued for the rest of the quarter. Whenever Young made a shot, whether it went in or not, Naruto would answer back with one of his own. At the end of the quarter Naruto was 8 – 8 when it came to field goals made. Racking up an amazing 54 points in three quarters.

The coach decided to let Naruto rest for the rest of the game but the message was clearly sent out to everyone watching: Naruto Namikaze was ready for the NBA.

* * *

"And we are back here on First Take. With me, as always, Mr Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless. With the NBA season soon upon us, a lot of attention has been placed on this year's Summer League, especially on one Naruto Namikaze. Gentlemen, your thoughts?"

Stephen A. indicates to Skip that he should speak first. Skip glances down at his notes to gather his thoughts before he looks back up, swaying from side to side like he is know to do.

"I am going to say this right now before anything else: people are putting Naruto Namikaze on too high of a pedestal too quickly. He hasn't played a single NBA game yet. Some are already talking about him being the next big thing in basketball. Yes, he has had a good couple of game in the Summer League but that's just it! We need to take a step back and re-evaluate this young man before stating how good he is."

"I would just like to say that I respect your opinion on the matter, but I am going to have to go against what you are say." Stephen A. gets fired up. "This kid can straight up ball! He is making the most difficult of shots look almost effortless! He is basically everywhere on the court doing almost everything. Even from the few matches I have seen so far, no one can keep up with him. If his shots from beyond the arc ain't going in, he can just as easily attach the rim. This kid can score from anywhere. And his vertical? This kid has got some serious bounce! Give him a few years and he'll be a younger, shorter, faster Kobe and MJ."

"Its Summer League! Anyone can look good in Summer League!"

"I'm going to respectfully ignore the rubbish coming out of your mouth. The level of intensity that this young man has is the same level I have seen in Kobe 'Black Mamba' Bryant and the great Michael Jordan!" Stephen A. looks straight into the camera. "Put me on record right now: Naruto Namikaze will be the next great thing in basketball!"

* * *

It was the finals of the Summer League in Vegas. Ever since the first game of the tournament all talk and attention has been focused on Naruto. Naruto was doing exactly what the GM told him to do, utterly dominating the tournament. Going into the final he was leading the tournament in both scoring and assists: 43.8 ppg and 11.4 apg, all without even playing a single minute in the 4th quarter. Analysts were losing their minds at the numbers Naruto was putting up. Scouts had pages of notes written about him.

Naruto was the first one in the arena that day, a good few hours before the game would even begin. He was going through a light warm-up routine to loosen his muscles and get rid of any nerves he might have. Even though it was just the Summer League, Naruto wanted to prove his worth as soon as possible. As he was in the center circle dribbling the ball he hears footsteps approach him from behind. Without missing a beat, he dribbles the ball through his legs before turning his body around to face whoever walked onto the court.

"I remember being in your place before my first season. I know what you are feeling right now. You wanna make a statement. State your claim and all that." Kobe walks to a random ball not to far away. He picks it up and spins it in his hands while staring off into the stands. "As much as I hate to admit it, I can't keep doing this for much longer. Maybe two or three more seasons. I want one more ring to put me on equal footing with him."

Naruto stares at Kobe before sitting down and gazing into the same stands. The silence between them not uncomfortable as both men are lost in his own thoughts.

"I tracked your career from the beginning. To be honest, you were never my favourite player. I liked watching the flashy plays of Iverson or someone like that. But then I found myself emulating you. I used to play old tapes of you until they broke, learning everything I could. Yes, you were flashy but only because your basics and fundamentals were so high that they allowed you to be. I decided a long time ago that I admire you the most out of everyone that has ever played the game. It's because of that admiration and respect that I will help you get that 6th ring but make no mistake," they both slightly turn their heads to find themselves once again having an intense stare down, "I will the top spot on this team before you retire."

"Then give me that challenge I know we both crave." Kobe answers back with a challenging smirk.

* * *

Naruto had sweat pouring down his face as he tried to catch his breath after the 3rd quarter. The Lakers were up against the Warriors and things weren't looking too good for them. The Warriors were fielding a team that consisted of Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, two up and coming stars of the Warriors roster. This was the toughest game that Naruto has been in since he got drafted. Even though he was keeping the Lakers close in points, 76 – 83, Naruto was basically on his own against the two stars.

It was his first taste of true NBA caliber players and he was absolutely bursting with excitement. He had to focus most of his attention on Thompson who could practically score the ball from anywhere while mostly leaving Green up to his teammates to deal with. On top of that, the Lakers got off to a bad start when Young flat out refused to be a team player; hogging the ball until eventually the coach pulled him out of the game.

He glanced towards the section of the stands where he knew his family were and smiled at the posters he could see and the cheering he could hear. He glance court-side and made eye contact with Kobe who just inclined his head in a gesture that practically demanded 'get it done'. The pressure was at an all time high. The expectations raised to new levels after the latest podcast on First Take. Most people would have felt overwhelmed but Naruto wasn't most people.

Alive.

Naruto felt alive. Walking on the court to start the 4th quarter, everything was so vibrant, his senses heightened as much as they possibly could be. He couldn't keep the shit eating grin off of his face.

Whole game long Naruto and Klay have been dueling it out with both of them having over 30 points, leading their teams in scoring. While the Warriors had Green to help out in both offensive and defensive aspects of the game, the Lakers only had Naruto to make opportunities for the team.

Having the ball inbounded to him, Naruto signals that he wants a 1v1 with Klay. While the team shifts to the left side of the court, he takes Klay to the right and angles his right shoulder to face Klay while dribbling the ball with his left. With the shot clock running down Naruto drives left but performs a quick crossover to his right and sprints to the hoop. Just as he releases the ball a big hand comes out of nowhere to smack it against the back board.

Without any conscious thought his body lands and sprints down court. Just as Klay jumps up to release from beyond the arc, Naruto's hand is already coming down to smack it out of bounds.

The arena erupts into fever pitched cheering after witnessing the amazing sequence of events. Many in the crowd unbelieving of the fact that what they were watching was a mere Summer League game. Throughout the game Naruto, Thompson, and Green had put on a show; hyping up the crowd with every big play made. With the score at 88 – 96 and the game drawing to a close, most in the arena thought that it was game over. Naruto had other plans.

Without waiting for Klay to set up a defense Naruto stops and releases a quick 3 which rattles its way home. Not going back on defense, he takes a gamble and sprints forward to intercept the inbound, surprising everyone when he actually manages to get it. Green steps up to block Naruto's path to the basket but he takes a big step back behind the 3-point line before pump faking to shake off the intense defense. When he sees Draymond he the air he instinctively jumps up, looking for body contact, and releases the ball. Everyone watches the ball with baited breath as a whistle sounds, indicating a foul. As the ball falls towards the hoop…

 **Bzzzzzzt**

... the buzzer sounds.

Naruto looks at the clock in shock, staring in disbelief at the triple 0's staring back at him. While the Warriors celebrate their victory, Naruto hangs his head in defeat. Unable to believe he ran out of time.

The sounds of whistles being blown brings him back to reality. He looks around to find the refs trying to establish order on the court. Once done they indicate for Naruto to complete his 4-point play. Keeping up a strong front, Naruto makes his way to the free-throw line. As he gets ready to take his shot the crowd acknowledges his efforts in the game by giving him a standing ovation. After making his shot he walks around the court congratulating the Warrior's players, head held high all the way.

Finally, as he walks down the tunnel in solitude, he allows the tears to fall freely down his face.

Lakers 95 – 96 Warriors

* * *

 **let me know what you think. i know i make naruto out to be almost unbeatable but even the best players experience loss. i don't want him winning every single game he plays in**


	10. Chapter 9

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 9**

Naruto jogs towards the end of the pier; earphones drowning out the rest of world with music; his hoodie up to keep the glare of the rising sun off his face. As he reaches the end he touches the railing before sprinting back the way he came.

 _Naruto lands on the ground before turning down the court and throwing a touch down pass to an open teammate down the court for an easy basket._

As he reaches the point where the pier meets the sidewalk, Naruto turns to jog back down while trying to regain his breath. As he passes mid point he misses the presence of a young lady watching him very intently. Reaching the end of the pier he repeats the process of sprinting back down.

 _Dribbling the ball with Thompson in front of him, Naruto pulls up for a quick three. As he gets to the apex of his jump he quickly throws it down to a wide-open Nick Young in the corner. Young throws up an air ball which has Naruto gritting his teeth in frustration. He races back to defense and tries to get in front of Green but can't keep up with the difference in strength and his pushed aside as he watches the ball fly back towards the hands off Thompson who sinks a three from the corner._

He repeats the process; over and over; lap after lap. His warm breath easily visible against the cool morning air as his lungs ache in exhaustion.

 _He catches the rebound and sprints down the left side of the court. As a defender steps in his way he shifts the ball to his right in a quick crossover that leaves the defender unable to react. As he performs a lay-up he gets fouled from behind, leading him to missing the basket but gaining the free-throws._

He stops at the mid-point of the pier, unable to continue as he rests his hands on his knees in an effort to keep himself from collapsing to the ground.

 _Naruto was so focused on keeping up with Thompson's movements that he doesn't see Green step up to perform screen. As he collides with Green he stumbles away from Thompson who rushes the basket for an open dunk._

As he's breathing finally starts to slow down he notices a water bottle being held out towards his face. Glancing up his eyes widen in recognition. He'd remember those warm brown eyes anywhere.

"Hi there." Damn, her voice was intoxicating. "You look like you could use something to drink. Don't worry its just water."

"Uh, thank you."

Naruto careful takes the water bottle and squeezes its content into his mouth. As he's drinking he allows himself to get a good look at her while she gazes out over the ocean. She's wearing leggings again today that show off what little of her legs not hidden under the giant hoodie she has on to keep away the cool air.

Even though he knows that she has an amazing body from their previous encounter, its her eyes that truly captivate him. There's a vast difference from the smile she places on her face to the emotions that he can see swirling in her irises.

"May I ask you something?" She looks over at him with surprise. She hesitantly nods her head for him to continue. "Is everything okay? Not to intrude or anything but you look like you could use someone to talk to."

Naruto notices as relief floods through her eyes while her body relaxes. He wonders if she was expecting him to ask something else. Before he can think on the matter anymore, she releases a sigh filled with exhaustion before speaking up.

"The same old love story really. Girl gets told she'll be happy with boy. Girl falls in love. Boy is horrible. Girl now has to decide whether it's worth it or not." A sad smile makes its way onto her face. "I love him. At times he takes my breath away. When I am with him I feel so alive. Yes we fight and everything but most of I think most of the time its my fault because I have trust issues when he's not around."

She says this all with so little emotion that Naruto actually becomes concerned. Before he knows what he's doing, he's leaning against the railing next to her and begins speaking.

"I've only ever been in love once so I'm not really the best when it comes to love stories. I loved her… _love her,_ because she was the person who kept me going. Supported my dreams. Cheered me on, pom poms and all. Loving her was easy so everything else fell into place. My advice, if you constantly have to look for reasons to love someone then they really aren't worth the love you give."

"You can't help who you fall in love with though."

"True. That is very true. However, you have to understand that falling in love is just the beginning. Loving someone shouldn't be difficult. It should be as easy as breathing. Yes, you'll have fights and yes it won't be easy, but then that's what makes it all worth it. He shouldn't make you feel like you are scattered in pieces. Understand what I mean?"

She slowly shakes her head, looking at him with wide doe like eyes. Naruto lets a small chuckle to release the sudden nervousness he feels.

"Think of it this way… you aren't suppose to feel alive when he is around you yet constantly worry about what he does when he's not. You aren't supposed to question your relationship. You aren't supposed to stay with someone because it has become routine to do so. I think that's what you are doing right now. Loving the person he used to be instead of the person he became."

Silence envelopes them after Naruto stopped talking. It's not one that makes either of them uncomfortable. It allows both of them to sort through the thoughts running through their heads.

Eventually their peaceful moment is shattered by the ringing of a phone. She sheepishly reaches into her hoodie's pocket and pulls out the offending object.

"I guess this is the world telling us we need to head back." She begins walking backwards while Naruto watches her. "Thanks for everything Naruto."

She turns around to start her jog back but is stopped by a shout.

"How do you know my name?" he gazes at her in confusion. He notices a genuine smile light up her face and is mesmerized by the beauty it creates when directed at him.

"Why wouldn't I keep track of my favourite basketball player, Mr Summer League MVP?" she jogs her way off the pier and out of sight.

 _Naruto walks on stage toward the presenter who is holding a trophy in his hand. He is surrounded by the Warrior's Summer League team as they celebrate._

" _Please give a round of applause for this year's Summer League MVP, Naruto Namikaze!"_

 _The crowd roars it's approval has Naruto accepts the trophy and poses for a photo before making his way down the tunnel. He glances down at the trophy in disgust as he places it at the bottom of the bag._

"I hate that fucking trophy."

* * *

"What the hell is your problem?" Naruto finally loses his cool during practice. It was Thursday and the team were running through drills in a game scenario with Naruto defending Young.

All throughout practice Young had been trash talking Naruto without backing up any of his talk. It eventually all came to a head when Young made a comment about Naruto's family.

"Look here Rookie! You can't just come out of nowhere and think you can take over this team! Us veterans have been in this league far longer than you have! It's our shot now!"

"That's funny actually. If you have been here so long then how come you haven't done anything note worthy? This will be your first season on this team, just like me, but you haven't done anything remarkable for any of the other teams you have played for!"

Young shoves Naruto and takes a wild swing with his left hand. Naruto ducks under it and steps to his right before twisting his hips to the left and connecting a quick right to the chin of Young that knocks him to the ground.

Players and coaching staff stand in shock before a few try to rush between Naruto and the downed Young. Naruto doesn't give them a chance to drag him away as he's already walking to the bench with his arms in the air.

Magic and the GM walk in to see what all the commotion is. As they witness Young struggling to stay upright they both walk over to a quiet Naruto to find out what happened.

"What happened to Young?"

"Dissed my family. Took a swing. Got knocked on his ass." Naruto replies in a montone. "His a waste of space here. He messes up the team chemistry. That was clearly seen in this previous tournament. We need someone that's of a much higher caliber at the SG position."

Magic and the GM have a hushed conversation before walking towards the rest of the players and staff. Naruto lifts his head when attention was called for.

"Due to everything that has happened, practice has been cancelled for the rest of the week. Young and Namikaze will both be fined for their actions as we don't condone fighting in this franchise. Everyone take the upcoming weekend to relax and spend time with family."

* * *

Everyone was once again at Jiriaya's for a get together. Currently they were all outside trying to watch the ensuing shouting match going on between Shika and Naruto.

"…do you think this will look? Did you even stop to think?"

Well, it was more Shika giving Naruto a very loud lecture than an actual shouting match. Naruto just sat on the couch with his head down like a little boy that got caught trying to steal from the sweet jar.

"A _fine_! Not even a single minute played in a game and you already have a _fucking fine_!"

Everyone gasps at that. Shikamaru _never_ swears. He deemed it too troublesome years ago when he got caught by his very scary mother. The guys outside, namely Kiba and Sasuke, started snickering at Naruto's misfortune. It was always funny watching the normally calm and collected Shikamaru shout at someone.

They watched as Naruto mumbled something that caused Shika to become eerily calm. This scared the guys more than the shouting he did before which left the girls feeling very confused as to why.

"Angry-calm Shika is so much worse than angry-shouting Shika."

The girls watch as the faces of the boys lose all colour. They turn back around to watch Shika.

"Now here is what is going to happen. I don't care what happens or who says what or where you are at, you are not the leader of the team yet, you are not the Alpha, you DO NOT fight with your OWN teammates!"

"But Shika, he dissed-"

"I don't care what he did Naruto! How do you think this looks to the staff? And what about the media? God! You can't get a reputation for getting into fights! Being a tough guy? Sure! Not backing down? Fucking go for it! But NOT for fighting! Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Yes Shikamaru." Naruto mumbles in reply. Shikamaru begins to walk out of the room before turning to Naruto with a sadistic glint in his eyes.

"Oh and before I forget, I decided that you won't be having ramen for an entire month!"

Naruto's head snaps up towards Shika.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

"So these are who we are looking at for when the trading window opens up."

All the higher-ups in the franchise were sitting around a table in the conference room that was practically covered with folders.

"We can't keep going on like this. The team will eventually break apart if Namikaze and Young keep going at it the way they do. The best option for this franchise."

"We are not getting rid of Namikaze! He is a franchise-altering player. To get rid of him would be entirely idiotic!"

"I agree with Magic. Besides, if we keep Young then that just means he'll be sitting bench once I come back into the team since I won't be giving up my spot. At least with Naruto we have have a permanent ball handler on the court at all times. Plus, I really believe he can take over the team in a year or two."

The members spend more time discussing the issue before they reach a decision.

"So, its decided then. We'll keep Namikaze and trade away Young. But now the next question arises: who do we trade Young for?"

A file gets placed in the middle of the table with a hand on top of it.

"After many talks between Naruto, his manager, and myself, we all feel like this player would fit in perfectly with what we want to do with the team." The members take a look at information of the player placed in the folder. "Now, I know that he doesn't have stats that stand out very much but he is easily one of the best outside shooters the league has ever seen. With Naruto being about to score from anywhere on the court, Pau being a threat in the paint on both offense and defense, and myself dominating that mid-range shots, if you add in this guy to the mix then we'll have a fucking amazing team that'll be difficult to deal with."

"Another to keep in mind is Namikaze's ability to give his teammates easy baskets and allowing them to play to their full potential. With Namikaze feeding him, this guy could easily become a 3-point juggernaut that will without a doubt keep up with the best of them. Plus, looking at his defensive stats, he is easily the best out of all of them."

The discussions carry on well into the afternoon as many points are brought up. What was being proposed could not just be easily put into place. They would basically be changing the entire nature of the team's playing style.

In the end though, all members decided that this course of action was the best course to take if they ever wanted the Laker's to be back on top.

* * *

"This is the worst possible decision that the Lakers could have made! They are trading away-"

"Blasphemous! This is the best possible decision! You need to obviously go get your-"

As Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless argued in the background, Cari Champion and Broussard were talking about the latest news to come out of the NBA.

"So Chris, what do you think about this out-of-left-field move pulled by the Laker's higher-ups? Does it surprise you? And where do you think the Lakers will end up in the Western Conference?"

"To be honest Cari, I think this is the perfect for the Lakers! This injured Kobe Bryant has made them realize that he might consider retiring soon. Instead of waiting for that to happen they decided to do the smart thing and plan for that future. Trading Nick Young and keeping Naruto Namikaze is the absolute best decision. With all due respect to Young, he is not a franchise-altering player. Naruto is! If the Summer League is anything to go by, the Lakers now have a young PG to take over from Steve Nash. A new, young PG who they have just begun to build around. Granted, the players they have surrounded him with at the moment are all veterans, but this will be a way for Naruto to attract other younger players to him over the coming years."

"Thank you!" Stephen A. exclaims. He finally finishes his argument against Skip. "We have to look at the future here. Naruto Namikaze will take over the Lakers in a couple years. The Lakers should use this opportunity to advertise him to other young players."

It was Skip Bayless that decided to bring himself back into the conversation by banging his fist on the desk.

"You all can not be serious! They have just traded away a veteran players for a young, untested PG who hasn't played a single minute in an official NBA game and is already getting into fights with teammates!"

"Who would you rather have? Nick Young or one of the best shooters this league has ever seen? This new SG is easily one of the best 3-point shooters in NBA history! He is definitely in the top 3 currently! They might not manage a lot this season but just you wait until next season! Kobe back at full health; Gasol protecting under the rim; the new guy from beyond the arc; and if he gets enough mintues to adjust to the high level of play, Naruto running around the court scoring from anywhere!"

* * *

Naruto walks into the Lakers training gym two hours before practice was scheduled to begin with Himawari and Kurama happily trailing behind him. Naruto would normally bring them with if the practice session was on the weekend or late enough in the day that Himawari didnt have to miss out on school. Ever since the loss to the Warriors Naruto decided to go to practices and games two hours earlier to work on his game without any distractions. He wanted to use the two hours to work on the basics. He needed to get up to a high enough level that his body would be able to handle the ball without having to think about it and to just act instinctively.

All this meant was that Naruto would be doing the same exercise over and over again. It was tedious and boring work yet he kept at it. He struggled with it the first few days; becoming frustrated doing the same thing over and over again. Yet slowly, as he forced himself to continue the exercise he was working on, he would find himself relaxing. It was during this time, where he would allow his body to have a mind of its own, that he would allow himself to remember and reminisce the times he had with his mom, dad, and Hinata.

While Himawari and Kurama ran around the big gym, playing with all the basketballs and training equip, Naruto would put his earphones in and lose himself in the music and memories. It always brought a smile to his face.

As the two hours were slowly coming to an end, the rest of the Laker's team and coaching staff trickled into the gym. Most of them went to go and greet Himawari and scratch Kurama behind an ear. Ever since she first came to a training session she was an instant hit with the team. Some of the players even started bring their own kids every now and then.

Once Magic and the PR department caught wind of what was going on, they closed off one of the smaller gyms and made its kid friendly. While the players were hard at work training for the upcoming season, the kids were busy playing around and having pictures taken of them. The pictures would then go onto most of the Laker's social media sites to help improve public image.

The players were gathered around in front of the coaching staff, waiting to find out what would happen today.

"As you know, Nick Young has been traded. We simply cannot condone that type of behavior amongst teammates so please let that be a warning to the rest of you. The only fights you are supposed to be having are against the teams we play against, not each other. The higher-ups have managed to bring in someone who will no doubt help this team get back to the top." As a figure walks into the gym the team turns around to greet him. Murmurs spread through the members of the team as they all recognized their new teammate. "Guys, please welcome Kyle Korver to the Lakers franchise."

* * *

Naruto was walking out towards his car when he heard someone yelling his name from the entrance of the training compound. He walks back to the way he came.

"The GM and head coach want you in the conference room."

A confused Naruto made his way to the conference. While walking he tried to think of any reasons they might have had to call. He already paid his fine and as far as he could remember, he hadn't done anything to warrant another one.

"Ah, Naruto. Please, come in and have a seat." Naruto sits down and begins to fidget nervously. The GM notices this and lets out an amused chuckle. "No need to look so nervous. You aren't in any trouble."

Naruto lets out a sigh of relief. The situation reminded him too much of the times where him and the guys would do stupid things and get caught by the parents.

"So what did you wanna speak to me about?" he brings up the thought that's on his mind.

"Well, as you know, the season is about to begin soon. We wanted to talk to you about your role in all of this." Naruto nods his head and leans forward in anticipation. "I don't know if you know this but a lot of veteran players from the other teams are going to be coming for you this season. They didn't like the comments that you made on Draft Night. They really want a piece of you kid."

Both men expect Naruto to either show fear or nervousness at the statement. Instead, they are greeted by a bloodthirsty grin of a predator who is finally being allowed to hunt his prey. It truly terrifies them to realize that the young man before them already has the competitive mentality of the franchise's star player.

"It is for that reason that we have decided to do something different with you. You won't be starting until sometime around New Year's."

When Naruto opens his mouth to protest, the door banging open and Kobe walking into the room cut him off.

"Shut up and listen before you think you know what's best. We are doing this to prevent you from getting any unnecessary injuries from all the rough play. The coaching staff decided that they'll play you the full third quarter with a couple minutes during the rest of the game. Now, the reason for this is that we need you to get up to speed with NBA level basketball. Just because you are fit and in good shape does not mean that you are match fit. It's a whole different ball game."

"Our plan is to have you play when the other teams gives their benches time on the floor." The head coach takes over from Kobe. "We know you are an attacking powerhouse. What we hope to accomplish with this plan is to have you either close the gap in scoring or widen it. This will also give you are chance to play to your full capabilities without going up against any of the big names so soon."

Naruto sits and listen to all that's being said to him. He understands what they are telling him but he just can't seem to agree with them. Everything he has is telling him to go out on court and fight it out against the best of them. He feels a light tap against the back of his head.

"I know what you thinking Kid. I was in the same spot when I started out. You thinking you can take on everyone and everything out there. What you fail to realize is that you are not the only one who wants to prove himself on the court. Do not let your pride take over. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Just relax and ease into this season. If all goes well then we'll still make the play-offs. However, if we rush things then we won't be able to properly build this team."

Naruto hands his head in understanding.

"At the end of the day, you guys are in charge and have been around way longer than I have. I really respect all of you. If you tell me this is the best plan then I'll follow it as best as I can."

The GM smiles at Naruto.

"That's all we can ask for."

* * *

 **okay so next chapter will be the start of the regular season. if you think you know who I'm pairing naruto with then please let me know in the reviews. let me know what you think and all that. to answer a question people have sent in my PM's: No, naruto will not be the best right from the get go. he will build up to that**


	11. Chapter 10

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 10**

Naruto wrapped his jacket tighter around himself in an attempt to keep the cold breeze at bay.

" _So you ready for tomorrow? It's the first game after all." She smiles softly at him as she sits next to him._

"I'm nervous as hell! Everyone will be there because it's the first game of the season." he replies as he rubs the back of his head; a nervous tick of his that he has never managed to get rid of.

" _You'll be fine Naruto-kun. It'll be no different from middle school and all the camps you went on. The players will just be better than before." She glances at him out the corner of her eye before she scoots over and lays her head on his shoulder. "Are you going to keep yourself locked away again this year?"_

He sighs at her question. It was one of the few things they constantly fought about. She kept telling him to not hide away his true self on the court and he kept wanting to keep that side of him locked away.

"Maybe I'll let him out this season… I'm finally playing against the best players in the world so there's really no reason at all to keep him locked away?"

 _He feels her graze his cheek with a sweet kiss as he continues to gaze at the stars above them._

" _You know what you need?" she sits up in excitement, eyes wide with joy and glint of mischievousness that she only ever allows him to see. "A special move. Something unique only to you. A basketball move so difficult that its never been done before in the NBA." She jumps up and points a finger in his face. "Your own signature move!"_

Naruto looks up into the sky and releases a chuckle while thinking back over the past few weeks of training with Lee and Gai.

"Don't worry about my signature," a vicious grin appears on his face, "I finally have it down."

 _He pulls her down so that she's sitting between her legs with her back against his chest. He wraps his arms around her and breathes in her lavender scent.  
_

" _What if I'm not good enough?" he allows his insecurities to surface, only ever around her._

" _Then you'll get better. Its just high school basketball Naru-koi." She turns around in his arms to look at him. Her eyes conveying all the unsaid things that he needs to hear. "You are the best Naru-koi. You'll always be the best."_

 _She leans down and kisses him with so much love that he forgets about everything else for that moment in time._

Naruto's self control slips as he allows himself to become lost in the moment; a lone tear the only indication of his inner turmoil as he gazes at the headstone before him.

"I miss you Hinata-hime."

* * *

"You know, the rest of the team met up earlier for some stupid team bonding session thing but no one could get a hold of you. I told them to not worry about it and that I knew exactly where you would be. Glad to know I didn't lie to anyone."

Kobe, wearing a tailored suit, walks onto the Staple Centre's court to join Naruto. Both men are then surrounded by silence that's only interrupted by the bounce of the ball in Naruto's hands.

"Got restless. Wanted to come in early to get in a good warm-up. Instead of getting that warm-up I just ended up bouncing the ball for two hours."

Both men chuckle at that as both have experienced the same thing more than once. The moment lasts for a few more minutes before the tension between them slowly rises.

"As soon as you get on the court they are going to come for you. You will be up against Harden and Beverly. One is one of the best 1v1 in the league at the moment and the other is a pure lockdown defender."

"I know, I stole your tapes." The tension is broken as Kobe looks at Naruto in complete shock. "You didn't think you were the only one who studied, did you? I would've used my tapes but yours are specified to players and not just teams."

"I should have known." Kobe shakes his head.

Naruto sits down and leans back on his hands as both men face the stands, each thinking they have been in this situation before.

"Are you going to be sitting with the coaches? Cause if so then I have a favour to ask." Kobe nods for him to continue but gives no verbal reply. "If Harden or Beverly catch fire in the first half, please do your best to get me into the game."

"You have the whole third quarter to go up against whoever is on the court. You really going to push your luck and ask for more? Besides, you really think you are ready to take on the two of them? Harden is useless on the defensive front but Beverly is a fighter. He'll fucking beat you down with no remorse."

Kobe watches Naruto, looking for any reaction that might come his way. Instead of a reaction, he gets a taste to what Naruto has been trying to keep locked up inside him. He catches a glimpse of Naruto's eyes and lets out a bellow of a laugh.

"Kid, you are more like me than you'll ever realise!" Kobe keeps laughing while Naruto looks on in confusion. "That look in your eyes is the exact same one I used to get back in the day. I admit that I hardly get it now-a-days cause all my biggest rivals are gone or we are all just past our prime. It was the best feeling in the world…"

Again, both men allow the silence around them to take over. Neither will admit that more is being spoken without the use of words; the two of them so alike that none are needed.

Eventually Naruto gets up and begins to make his way to the rest of the team as he notices the Staple Centre staff begin setting up for the game tonight. He stops walking but doesn't turn around as Kobe calls his name.

"Are you not at all nervous about playing tonight?"

"Since I started playing when I was five, I've waited to play against someone in a situation where I didn't have to hold back. You are asking me if I'm nervous for something I have been waiting for since I stepped onto a court?" Naruto walks down the tunnel but his voice still carries to Kobe, "I got rid of any nervousness the night before my first high school game."

* * *

Naruto walked into the locker where the rest of the team were busy getting ready for the game. As he walks past some of the players to get to his locker, he greets them with handshakes and silly comments. The atmosphere inside the locker-room is upbeat with music playing and players getting dressed.

He stands in front of a locker that has a Lakers top hanging from the with a big number 9 on the back. Naruto stares at the _Namikaze_ that is printed above the 9. Everything else around him becomes a blur as his sight is fixed solely on the jersey before him. While the rest of the team are busy enjoying themselves, the air around Naruto becomes incredibly tense. Slowly the players around him began to take notice of the change in him. Unbeknownst to anyone in the room at that moment, most of the players in the room unconsciously started to see him as the alpha of the current team. Just the intensity of his gaze alone was enough to show all of them how much he wanted to go out and win.

Naruto becomes aware of others around him when a flash goes off. He glances at the Steve Nash who has a camera in his hands and has a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry. You just had the most intense look on your face. I had to capture it on film."

Naruto gives him a nod of the head before facing the locker again and changing into his gear. He opens his Laker's gym bag and pulls out the new wrist-bands that Himawari made for him with the help of Rin and Shizune. He reached under his seat and pulled out the shoe given to him by Adidas. The official name for it was _Crazy Explosive Solar Red._ It was a shoe exclusively made for him.

The coach walks in and goes over the game plan with everyone. Naruto was surprised to find out that Kyle was also sitting bench with him. Surely he would have been someone they needed on the court.

An NBA official then makes his way into the room to inform everyone that its time to take to the court. The team down and out the tunnel to a roaring crowd. Naruto spots his family and friends in the stands. He waves at that and blows Himawari a kiss.

When both teams are done with the warms ups, the starting members take the court for the tip-off. Naruto sits on one of the seats as the game begins. The Lakers were starting off the game by scoring at the hoop closest to the Rockets' bench.

As the match progresses Naruto doesn't take note of his leg that begins to bounce as he becomes more frustrated with how the match is going. Harden is destroying the outside defense with his quickness and getting the ball to the other Houston players. That's not even taking into account the shots his taking when he has even a little bit of space. Beverley was roughing up the guards when they tried to run the lane. The Laker's outside shots just weren't landing and it didn't seem like anyone on the court was willing to take a risk to spark a come back. On top of that, every time a big play was made by the Rockets they would taunt Naruto who still hadn't stepped onto the court yet. The crowed noticing what was happening started to get behind putting Naruto in the game by chanting his name. However, the coaches stuck with the decision to keep him on the bench.

Everything finally came to boiling point halfway through the 2nd quarter with the score at 47 – 28 to the Rockets. Naruto, who became eerily calm, watched as Beverley stripped the ball off of Steve Nash before running down court for a dunk. As he lands he walks over to Naruto while making the talking gesture with his hand and pointing at him. Naruto stands up to meet him and the crowd's noise level reaches fervour pitch as players from both teams step between Naruto and Beverley. The officials eventually get things under control and give Beverley a technical for taunting the opponents too much.

"Namikaze!" Naruto snaps his head towards the coach. "Take your suit off. You're subbing in."

Many of the people hearing this look at Naruto expecting to see a smile on his face. The expression on his face is anything but a smile. His jaw is tense with rage and the look of his eyes is so intense that they belonged on that of an animal. He rips his tracksuit off and walks towards the announcers' table but is stopped as someone grabs his wrist.

"Go get him, Kid."

Naruto doesn't turn to face him but Kobe knows that what he said was heard. Naruto waits for the buzzer to indicate he can step off the court. Steve walks off while tapping Naruto on the shoulder. Naruto walks on the court to the roar of the crowd, adrenalin pumping through his veins.

" _Tou-san, kaa-san, one day I will stand down on that basketball court and everyone will know that I am the best."_

" _I have no doubt that you will, Sochi."_

" _If_ _that is really what you want to accomplish then your mother and I will help you in anyway we can. We will be right there supporting you every step of the way."_

"Watch me." He whispers as he gazes towards the ceiling.

Due to the technical the Lakers were to take two free-throws. Naruto stood in their half of the court while this was happening. He was ignoring all the players standing around him as he kept his eyes closed to center himself. On the outside he appeared to be calm, even relaxed. Inside however, Naruto was experiencing an excitement he hadnt felt in years.

He opens his eyes to see Harden catch the inbound and dribble the ball up court. Naruto calmly walks towards him and meets him beyond the 3-point line before getting into a forward defensive stance. Harden started dribbling the ball faster to see if Naruto would bite but Naruto doesn't move an inch. Harden sees the lane open up and drives past Naruto who doesn't move to stop him. As he jumps in the air to lay-up the ball Naruto slams it against the back board before bringing it down to his body as he lands back on the floor.

Without hesitation he races down the court and a full sprint. As Beverley steps up to meet him past halfcourt Naruto crossovers to the left then quickly back to the right as he blasts past a stumbling Patrick Beverley. However, the slight pause in his sprint allows a defender to catch up to him and reach for the ball. Naruto quickly brings it behind his back, into his left hand, and sends an under-arm pass to Kyle Korver in the left-hand corner. Naruto turns back around as soon as he sees the ball in Kyle's hands and doesn't even look as the ball is sunk for a three.

The crowd roars its approval and the display put on by Naruto. The team, picking up on the excitement of the crowd, becomes more lively on defense forcing the Rockets to rush a shot. As the centres get ready to duke it out for the rebound, Naruto is already flying through the air and catching the ball. He lands, pivots on his left foot, and throws a touchdown pass to Jodie Meeks who lays it up while being fouled.

The crowd once again loses its mind at the brilliant play. As Meeks makes the free-throw the Lakers quickly set up and defense. This time Harden doesn't mess around he dribbles the ball at a frantic pace before driving to the right with Naruto following him every step of the way. What Naruto isnt ready for is the step back Harden takes as he gets behind the 3-point line and releases a 3 as Naruto jumps in the air in a attempt to stop it.

On the next play Naruto holds up his finger for a 1v1. Pau steps up as if his about to set up a screen before the entire Lakers team jogs to the left side of the court. Just as Naruto is about to start driving the ball, Beverley steps out of nowhere and presses right up against him. With Naruto focusing on kepping the ball away from Beverley, Harden easily strips it from him and runs up court for an easy dunk.

The 2nd quarter was coming to a close and Naruto still hadnt been able to get a shot off. With Beverley and Harden double teaming him all he could do was pass to the open man. Naruto already had 6 assists because of the fast pace that the game was being played at.

With the clock running down, one of the Rockets' players fumbles the ball and its picked up by Kyle who throws it to Naruto. Naruto races down the court. As he sees Beverley get into a defensive stance in the paint he gathers himself and jumps from the free-throw line to perform a metoar jam right before the buzzer sounds.

The score at the end of the 2nd quarter reads 58 – 46 with the Lakers drastically closing the gap to the Rockets.

Naruto walks backwards towards the Lakers' bench as he and Beverley have a face off.

"Come at me bro!"

"I'm on my way! Don't worry about waiting! I'm coming!"

* * *

The Laker's locker room was extremely upbeat. All players were filled with energy at the way they were playing. The amazing thing abut it all is that it wasn't just one or two players doing well. Almost everyone on the court was scoring.

Sitting down in front of his locker, Naruto was taking a drink of water as he tried to catch his breath.

"Tough out there?" Kobe asks as he makes his way over.

"Just not used to the level of play." Naruto replies when he gets his breath back. "I'm pushing myself to the limits just to keep Harden from making his shots. Him and Beverley are tearing me down with that double team."

Kobe nods his head in understanding. He was actually amazed that Naruto was doing so well in his first game. However, he was concerned by the amount of fatigue that Naruto was showing having not played a full quarter yet. He sits down next to Naruto and leans his arms on his knees.

"Okay here is what I want you to do. Look at your teammates all over the room." Kobe waits for Naruto to focus on his teammates. "The Rockets are going to come for you expecting you to go for the baskets. First and foremost you are a PG. That means you can't take on everything on by yourself. Now, how do you get their attention away from you?"

Naruto looks around him. Slowly, I plan starts to form in his head as he watches his teammates go about their business.

"You move it onto someone else…" whispers Naruto before he jumps up in excitement. "Ey! Kyle! Pau! I need a favour from you guys!"

* * *

Starting the 3rd quarter Naruto noticed that the Rockets had Beverley and Harden on the bench in order to rest them. He glances to where Kobe is sitting on the bench in excitement.

"Take over Kid!"

"Run and gun!" Naruto shouts to his teammates of the court.

And take over is exactly what Naruto did. Naruto was everywhere on the court. Instead of trying to takes shots beyond the arc, Naruto was rushing the lane for lay-ups and looking for fouls. He also made sure to keep his teammates involved by ensuring the ball kept moving asround the court. On defense he was pressuring the opposing ball handler as soon as the inbound was in his hands.

As the quarter continued to progress the crowd kept getting behind every play Naruto was making. The team was feeding off of the crowd's reaction. Naruto had 16 points, 14 in this quarter; 9 assists; 6 rebounds; and 3 steals. He was getting more hyped up as the crowd cheered him on. He kept glancing at the Rockets' bench everytime a big play was made. He wanted Beverley and Harden back on the court and was quickly getting tired of waiting so… he decided to do exactly what Beverley did to him.

On the Rockets' next play Naruto let Kyle guard the PG as he stayed in the line, out of sight from the PG's vision. On instinct Naruto quickly sprinted out of painted with his arm outstretched just as a pass was made. Naruto smacks the ball down court and sprints after it, leaving everyone else in the dust.

He grabs the ball as he nears the hoop and slows down to settle himself. As he enters the paint from the right-hand side he jumps in the air and spins twice before slamming the ball through the hoop.

Everyone in the Staple Center goes insane at having just witnessed a 720 dunk in an official NBA game. Naruto hypes the crowd up even more by walking past the Rockets' bench and pointing his finger at Harden.

"Come play with a demon!"

Naruto's family started chanting his nickname after hearing what he shouted.

"Kitsune! Kitsune! Kitsune!"

The rest of the crowd picks up the chant as the Rockets call a time out. Naruto walks towards his bench, being congratulated all the way by his teammates. He walks right up to Kobe who is sitting on the bench chuckling to himself.

"So, how was that?" Naruto asks with a vicious grin on his face.

Kobe lets out a bellow of a laugh at Naruto's brashness.

"Kid, I couldn't have done it better myself."

Naruto hears the crowd start booing and gances over at the Rockets' bernch. He watched as Beverley and Harden walked onto the court. He immediately went over to Kyle and Pau.

"Hey guys! You ready to go through with the plan?"

"Yes, I am."

"Yeah I'm ready to go."

The team walks on the court and sets up on defense. Naruto watches Harden dribble past half-court. Naruto steps up to meet him. Harden does a crossover and tries to get past him. Naruto is still riding the momentum from before the time-out. He is all over Harden, forcing a pass. The Rockets manage to score after almost running out the shot-clock.

Naruto calls for a quick rebound and sprints down the court for a coast-to-coast. Beverley meets him just as he reaches the lane, forcing Naruto off balance as he releases the ball. As he rushes back to stop the fast break he sees Kyle start heading in the same direction.

"Stay in the corner!"

Naruto races back and gets between Harden and Beverley to stop a pass with his left hand. He pivots on his left foot as he releases the ball. Using the momentum of the spin, Naruto places his right hand on the ball and pushes it as hard as he can. Everyone watches as the ball flies to seemingly no one. Lots of people are surprised to find the ball land in the hands of Kyle Korver, who stayed behind in the corner, as he sets himself and releases a perfect 3-point shot.

The crowd goes insane at the latest amazing play that just transpired on court. Naruto was completely dominating the game. Everyone watching the game at that moment were in utter shock at the rookie sensation going head-to-head with two veteran players and coming out on top.

Naruto is once again being double teamed on the right side of the court. He catches a glimpse of Pau setting up a screen on the left side. He jumps into the air, a good few inches higher than either defenders, and uses both hands to send the ball across the court. Just as it seems its about to hit Pau, Kyle appears around him to perform a catch and shoot.

With the clock running down to end the 3rd quarter Naruto sprints down. As Beverley steps in front of him Naruto turns around and performs a post-up. He looks ahead and sees Kyle running towards him so he casually throws the ball right into his hands. Kyle releases the ball just as the buzzer.

The team go crazy at the buzzer beater with everyone on the bench jumping up and performing handshakes with Kyle. It was Kobe that noticed Naruto was amongst those joing in the celebration. The crowd's cheers slowly die down as more attention is being placed on Naruto who still hasn't moved away from his place.

Kobe walks on court and steps up to Naruto. Its as he gets a good look at Naruto that he takes note of the amount of sweat pouring off of him and the heavy breaths that are being taken.

"Kid, you okay?" Kobe asks in concern.

Naruto lets out a chuckle but otherwise doesn't move a step from his position. He struggles with trying to regain his breath.

"I'm scared that if I try to take a step I'll end up falling. I don't think I can make it off the court on my own."

Just as it seems that Naruto is about to tip over, a figure appears and catches him while throwing Naruto's right arm over his shoulder. Naruto glances down and is surprised to see Patrick Beverley being the one to hold him up.

"You played a good game out there bro. I know now you the real deal. I look forward to out next match. We have to settle this score."

Kobe rushes over to Naruto's other side. Both men help Naruto over to the Laker's bench. Once Naruto is with his team Beverley heads back to his own. Kobe calls for the medics to set up in the med bay as he helps Naruto down the tunnel.

At the end of the 3rd quarter the Lakers were leading with a score of 79 – 73. Naruto ends his debut game with a 23 points, 12 assist, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals.

* * *

 **so as usual review and let me know what you think. obviously i am not going to go into great detail with every single game, only the ones i feel is important to the story. please excuse any spelling and grammar errors, they'll be fixed at a later date. i just want to get a bit further into the story before i decide to go back.**


	12. Chapter 11

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 11**

"Quickly! Get him onto the bed!"

Kobe places Naruto on the table and steps back to give the team doctor space to work. Naruto was still struggling to catch his breath. You could practically see the muscles in his legs twitching.

"His bodily is incredibly dehydrated. I'm going to hook up an IV to him and fill it with nutrients. That should help him."

Just as the doctor was about to stick the needle into Naruto's arm a commotion outside the door. Kobe makes his way to investigate and its only his quick reflexes that managed to keep him from getting slammed by the door being open with great force.

"If you even think of touching my Godson without my express permission, I'll make sure your family has to prepare for a funeral in the coming days."

In walked a blonde woman wearing a green lab coat. She had a sweet smile on her force that just screamed dangerous. Kobe instantly felt very nervous around her.

Following after her was a fairly tall man with gravity defying grey hair. Kobe takes note of the eye patch covering his left eye. He had his nose hidden in an orange book and his posture just screamed laziness. However, Kobe easily recognised that the laziness was all just an act. The man before him was just as, if not more, dangerous than the blonde woman.

Without any preamble, the blonde woman walks next to Naruto's bed and drives her fist hard into his stomach. All occupants in the room, besides the lazy man, were shocked by her actions. Naruto regains consciousness struggling to regain the breath he worked so hard to fill his tired lungs.

"Tsunade-Baa-chan… what was that for?"

The now identified Tsunade doesn't even acknowledge him as she takes off Naruto's top and starts massaging his muscles. After a while she reaches into her coat and pulls out white pads before placing them all over Naruto's body, mostly on the twitching muscles. Naruto eventually passes out again while being worked upon. As she continues to work on Naruto she starts addressing the man who hasn't stopped looking at the orange book.

"You were right again, Kakashi. I can't believe I didn't catch on to this years ago. We should have seen it all earlier but we ignored the signs cause he didn't say anything."

"Don't blame yourself, Tsunade." The now known Kakashi replies. "I only started noticing what was happening during the Summer League. I take full responsibility for this. Since I trained for years, I should have seen this coming a long time ago."

The other occupants in the room were confused by what was being said. Kobe, who was never one to back down, decided to voice this to the two speakers.

"Excuse me. I'm Kobe Bryant-"

"Don't care."

"You say something?"

"- a teammate of Naruto's?" Kobe questions unsurely after receiving those two responses. He shakes his head and begins again. "Can you please tell us what exactly is wrong with Naruto and if the team should be concerned by this?"

Tsunade who goes back to working on Naruto ignores his question. It is Kakashi that eventually closes his book and turns his lone eye towards the other occupants in the room. What surprised the all was the intense look that his gaze held. Kobe knew instantly where Naruto got some of his competitiveness from.

"Since Naruto told his parents that he would be the best basketball player ever, I have been his personal trainer. I was there with him since the beginning. I worked that boy to the bone every chance I got. The part that amazed me the most? He never, once told me to lay off him. If you knew his mom you would know that his drive and stubbornness runs in the family. He wasn't happy playing against those close to his age so his mother eventually forced me to take him to games with kids a good few years older than him.

Now, I want to make one thing very clear to all of you right now. I did not help Naruto when it came to working with a basketball. I helped him with the physical side of things. His father gave him tapes of all the best players at the time and he would study them religiously." Kakashi sighs and relaxes his posture as he leans against the wall. "I bet you are all expecting me to tell you that he won every game he played against those older kids. The absolute truth is the exact opposite. He lost. A lot, practically all the time. He refused to play against younger kids and he was unable to keep up with the older ones. Can any of you tell me what he did once he realised this?"

Most of them shook their heads in the negative, all in awe and captured by what is being told.

"He pushed himself past his limits." Kobe answered. "He refused to go back so he made himself go forward."

"I can see why he respects you so much." Kakashi acknowledges Kobe. "It was the single most amazing thing I have ever witnessed. This little child, no older than 8, 9, or 10, working day in and day out to catch up to those above him. No one could stop him even if they wanted to. And with his parents supporting him through it all just gave him the indication that what he was doing was the right thing.

You have to understand, Naruto _cannot_ be included in that special room allocated to prodigies or those who are considered gifted. The door keeping apart the extraordinary players from the normal players stood before him just like it would stand in front of most. It was his sheer stubbornness and determination that allowed him to rip those doors off their hinges."

"Kakashi!" Tsunade's voice bellows through the room. "You know he hates anyone divulging anything about his childhood."

Kakashi flinches back at the cold gaze being sent his way and rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"Gomen, Tsunade." Kakashi once again adopts a serious look as he continues. "Naruto has not had to push himself anywhere near his limit in _years_. Its because of that very fact, that he doesn't know where his limitations are. What we all witnessed tonight is Naruto playing without restraint for the first time in a long while. The only comparison he has is from before he started high school. Obviously, he is much better now than he was then. He just needs to find a way to get his body to keep up with what he's trying to make it do."

Most people in the room are confused by what they were just told but its Kobe who once again understood exactly what Kakashi was trying to tell them all.

"This won't be the last time this happens, will it? He's going to keep at it until he finds that barrier he can't get past and even then, he'll just keep going."

"Right. It'll take a few games, maybe this entire season, but eventually his body will adjust itself to the level of play. What you really shouldn't do is expect him to put down the same results that he did tonight. He was just very highly motivated. My best guess is that he'll be highly erratic until he can find the right balance."

"I can easily help him with that."

* * *

"I would just like to say," Stephen A. Smith starts off smugly, "that I have nothing to say on this matter. I'll just let the stat sheet say everything for me." He sits back and crosses his arms back in triumph.

It was the first podcast of First Take after the Laker's opening game. Ever since the end of the match social media had been filled with talks about Naruto and the Lakers close game against the Rockets.

"Oh so I'm the only one who saw that Naruto Namikaze had to literally be carried off the court?" Skip Bayless fires back. "He couldn't walk!"

"Oh, I'm sorry! You go out onto the court; take over the game like you are a seasoned veteran; much up against superstars on both sides of the court, while winning most encounters might I add; and rack up the stats that that young man did! After you have done that, tell me how tired you really feel!

"People I making too much of a big deal without him having done anything! We need to step back-"

"Not done anything?" Stephen A. screams in shocked. "Winner and MVP of the NCAA, he captained and lead our U21 basketball team to a world championship! What more do you need?"

"That wasn't the NBA! He cannot handle playing in the top league yet! That was clearly shown in the game!"

"A game that his team won! A game that he took over! A game that he got the crowd involved! A game where he inspire a comeback! A game where you got his team to play better than I thought they were capable of! A game where he put down 23 points in 18 minutes! A game where he racked up 12 assists! A game where he was 3 rebounds away from getting a triple double on his debut!"

"Exactly! His _debut_! It was a magnificent game, I won't deny that fact. But it was his _first game_. We _cannot_ and _should not_ put him on such a high pedestal after just _one game_."

"We did that with Lebron. And that was when he was still in high school. And news flash, Naruto had a better debut with _24 minutes less_!"

"Lebron is an anomaly. A freak of nature."

"Yet, Naruto has already accomplished much more relevant things at the same age. I am not saying right now that I would pick Naruto over Lebron. But in the future? Once he adjusts himself properly, gets his match stamina _much higher_ , and refines his movements, I'll be the first to pick him over _anyone_ else currently in the league. If his growth continues at this rapid rate, I'll definitely consider him on my all time best list."

* * *

"Am I ever gonna know your name?"

"I want you to figure it out." She giggles in reply.

"And why is that?"

The two of them were standing on the pier looking out of the ocean again. This early morning meet-up of theirs an event that both looked forward to when they were at home and not on the road.

"I don't want you to look at me differently once you find out who I am. Its hard for me to find someone I can speak to without having to worry about whether they mean what they say or they are just saying the things they think I want to hear."

Naruto glances down next to him to see a frown adorning her beautiful face. He playfully nudges her with his shoulder to gain her attention.

"Ey, don't worry about that. I kinda don't have a filter when it comes to saying things. I try and speak truthfully as much as possible. Kinda have to since I have to set an example for my little."

"How is Himawari?" she questions in excitement. "Does she enjoy school?"

They both fall back into a comfortable conversation, talking about everything yet nothing at the same. Conversation between them had always been easy.

"So how are things going in your love life? Meet any cute girls Mr Lakers Frontman?" she giggles at him.

"Nah, you know I'm not looking for anyone." He rubs his head sheepishly. "I just wanna focus on my game and Himawari for now. Besides, when I do eventually decide to start dating someone, I have to make sure that Himawari approves of her as well."

"It must be nice," she chuckles softly, "having someone so close to you that's so protective of you."

Naruto glances over at her and notices a sad, almost wistful, look upon her face. A slight tightening in his chest lets him become aware of a sudden protectiveness he feels towards this amazing person standing next to him.

"You got me." He replies with a soft smile, which catches her attention.

"You don't even know my name!" she exclaims incredulously.

"So? I care. I don't have to know your name to know that you are someone worth caring for."

"You are insane."

"And why is that? Yeah, I don't know your name but that doesn't mean I don't know you. Sure, I don't know your favourite colour, or food, or drink, or your birthday or anything like that; but I know you as a person. I know that you care about those around you even when I think they don't deserve your care and affection. I know that, like me, you prefer being in places without lots of people around. I know that you are a great listener when someone needs to vent. I know that you have a strong opinion and you are definitely not scared of expressing it."

She blushes as he says all this. He speaks in such a sure voice that she cant help but be drawn in.

"Lastly, I know that whoever it is that broke your heart will one day consider it to be the greatest mistake he has ever had. You are truly an amazing person deserves someone who can really see that instead of take it all for granted."

He finally glances down at her to find that she has a few tears running down her face. Before he can start to panic she stands on her toes, while pulling him down by his shirt, to place a gently kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, Naruto." She whispers softly as she pulls away from him.

* * *

"Okay we really need to do something about the inside lane. We cant be having Davies just continue to have his way out there!"

It was half-time during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Over the last few games the Lakers have manged to keep their record to 3 – 3, only losing to the Warriors, Spurs, and Mavericks. Naruto had to sit out the two matches against the Warriors and Spurs due to fatigue from his debut. The match against Mavericks didn't go nearly as well as the team hoped even though Naruto managed to help close gap in the 3rd quarter. The coaches decided to strictly stick to the 3rd quarter rule that they planned for Naruto.

Now, against the Pelicans, they were suffering due to Anthony Davies and Ryan Adams dominating the paint. Naruto was in the corner of the locker room going through his warm-up routine. He could feel the excitement bubble up inside. He couldn't stop his body from twitching at the smallest of things, becoming hyper aware of everything around him.

As he listened to the coach go through the plan on the white board a frown appeared on his face. He wasn't understanding why the coach wanted them to do that. It just didn't make sense.

"Uh, coach?" Naruto finally calls out to gain attention. "I don't think that plan will help us much."

"Well the, Rookie, what do you suppose we do?" the coach asked in an irritated voice.

Naruto remember what Kobe told him during his first game and looked around at all his teammates in the room. Slowly but surely a plan started to form in his head. It was quite risky but his gut was telling him that it would was just crazy enough to work.

"What if we sacrificed defense for offense?"

* * *

"With the Pelicans up but 18 going into the 3rd quarter, how do you think the Lakers will respond?"

"Well we all know that the 3rd quarter is when Naruto is allowed to play. Hopefully the young PG can rally the team to make a comeback in the second half of the game."

Just as the commentators finished their discussion the Lakers team walked out of the tunnel and onto the court. What surprised most of the attending audience was the fact that Steve Nash was walking with the team. Normally, Nash would be benched in this quarter as to allow Naruto to get some much needed minutes. What also drew the eye of all attending was Naruto walking onto the court as well.

The Pelicans start off the quarter with the inbound. Due to the game plan Naruto came up with, he had to leave the opposing PG and instead focus on keeping the SF in check.

He watches as Davies posts up on Pau as he calls for the ball. He starts running as soon as he sees the PG go for a lob. Just as the ball reaches it apex Naruto is in the air, gaining so much height that he snatches the ball out of the air.

He passes the ball to Nash before he jobs up the court into the right-hand corner with Kyle doing the same in the left-hand corner. As Nash makes it past half-court, the two big men on the floor for the Lakers set up screens for both Kyle and Naruto. Both players run towards Nash to gain some open space. Nash passes to Kyle who catches the ball and performs a quick release.

On the next play Davies manages to score a lay-up. Pau, knowing what Naruto wants him to do, quickly gets the ball and inbounds it to Naruto who is already passed half-court. Naruto catches the ball and dribbles it to the 3-point line before jumping, setting his sights and releasing the ball.

Ryan Anderson performed a spin move to get past his defender and went up for as dunk only to be met by Naruto. Naruto managed to get a hand to the ball just before it got to the rim. However, the momentum that Anderson got to the rim with cause him to collide with Naruto and sent him flying into the camera men.

As the play continued Naruto got up and raced down the court, blood boiling at being shoved down. He noticed Kyle catch the ball and try to get rid of his defender. He saw Naruto run towards him, calling for the ball, so he threw it towards him. Naruto had to jump forwards before he caught the ball in order to avoid a back-court violation. As he lands he uses the momentum to take two quick steps before jumping in the air and shooting the ball for beyond the 30ft mark.

The Lakers continued to use 3-point shots to close the gap on the Pelicans. What amazed everyone was the fact that Naruto and Kyle looked to be getting better and better as the quarter went on. It was almost as if they were trying to outdo the other, like they were having a competition between themselves. The Pelicans were still dominating the paint but they just couldn't keep up with the Laker's outside shot. On top of that, they weren't being fouled when they went for the basket as the Laker's big men almost gave them free room.

With the quarter coming to an end Naruto raced down the court with the ball before shooting off the dribble and holding the pose as he landed. As the ball swished into the net Naruto turned around and got down on one knee as he made the motions of shooting a bow and arrow.

On the last play of the quarter Pau forced Davies into attempting a fade-away. Naruto went up for the rebound and quickly passed it to Kyle, who was trying to get to half-court. As he got to the line he shot the ball just before the buzzer went. The crowd went wild as the ball rattled the rim as it went in.

The team rush Naruto and Kyle to celebrate the amazing quarter they just had. Naruto finished with 6 3's and because of that buzzer beater Kyle managed to shoot down 7, winning the unspoken battle between them. The Lakers managed to outscore the Pelicans so decisively that they managed to gain the lead with the last two shots made

Naruto sat out the 4th quarter but it didn't really make that much difference. The Lakers, due to riding the high for the 3rd quarter, managed to extend the lead in the 4th and win the game.

* * *

Naruto was having a tough time going against Klay Thompson. The two of them were so evenly matched today that both were having a hard time doing anything but pass to an open teammate. On top of fighting with Thompson, Curry was having one of those days where everything was just going through the hoop.

As the game continued, Naruto was getting angrier at the showboating Curry was putting on. He finally had enough when Curry shot a 3-pointer over him and pointed a finger him.

"You talk too much Rookie! Where's all those skills you keep boasting about? Get off my court!"

Naruto, already at boiling point, smacked Curry's hand out of his face. Both teams suddenly converged in a scuffle with Green having his hand around Naruto's neck. Naruto grabs Green's hand with his left hand and pulls it down. As Green stumbles forward Naruto steps to his right and swivels his body to the left, driving his fist into Green's unprotected side. Green falls to the ground, gasping for breath as Kobe rushes onto the court and surrounds Naruto with his arms before dragging him away.

* * *

Naruto was sitting in the conference room during the post match interviews. After knocking Green to the ground Naruto received a double technical and found himself ejected from the game. The media before him were trying to make him out to be the villain, which wasn't working too well.

"Naruto, do you think it was right punching Green the way you did?"

Naruto gave the reporter a look of pure confusion.

"Urm, I'm sorry but I don't fully understand what you are asking me. Are you perhaps asking if I regret punching the guy who had his hand wrapped around my throat?" At the reporter's reluctant nod Naruto sets a warm smile on his face. "Oh, well in that case it was absolutely the right decision to make. I mean, from my point of view it was all in self-defense. I'm not even mad about the suspension I'll no doubt be given for my actions. Violence isn't condoned in the NBA and I'm fully behind that. However, there's no way I'm not going to defend myself if I'm being attacked. That's pure stupidity."

"Naruto, how do you feel knowing that you being ejected may have cost the Lakers a win today."

"Well, obviously I don't feel good about it at all. I take full blame for my actions today. I would like to apologise to my team, coaching staff, and to the Lakers franchise at large for today."

"What about the accusations that you might have cracked Green's ribs? Do you not think that you went over board?"

Naruto lets out a bellow of a laugh that causes some of the media members to become enraged at his blatant disrespect.

"If its an apology you are looking for then you be sorely disappointed to know that you won't find one from me. I'm sorry for how my actions have affected my team. That does not mean that I am sorry for what I did. And you can tell Green this: if he ever puts his hands on me like that again, my fist will connect with his face instead of his ribs."

* * *

"Naruto Namikaze is a thug! He should not be allowed to play in a NBA game! He should be banned! He attacked an opponent-"

"The _blasphemy_ that comes out of your mouth, Skip Bayless! It was self-defense! And you know what? I commend Naruto for what he did. If a brother must come up to me in the street and do that, you can be damn sure I'm not just going to stand there and take it!"

"Stephen A., you can't seriously tell me you condone his actions! He purposefully injured an opponent!"

"Like Naruto said in the post match interview: it was self-defence!"

* * *

"You know, I'm kinda glad you punched him. I don't like seeing you hurt."

"Hehe, yeah well you might be the only person that's happy about it. My manager/best friend is pissed at me. Kobe says he understand what I did but he's not too thrilled that I didn't just walk away. The irony of that is astounding." Naruto replies as he rolls his eyes.

They stand shoulder to shoulder, once again on their pier early in the morning. Naruto needed to get away and vent for a bit. He was lucky that he caught her this morning as she said that she had to leave to another state for a couple of weeks for work.

"Oh, I never did ask, what exactly do you do for a living?" he glances at her curiously.

"You know," she lets out a giggle that Naruto thinks is adorable, "I'm really surprised that you still don't know my name. I'm kinda in a lot of magazines and on a lot of social media."

"Yeah well… to be honest I let my friends and daughter deal with all of that stuff. I've never been a big fan of all of that. I hardly know a lot of celebrities unless they are really famous. Why? Are you some celebrity?"

"If what you say about your daughter is true, the she'll most definitely recognise me."

"Well then I'll just have to ask her."

They fall back into a comfortable silence as she lays her head on his shoulder. Both enjoy the closeness and ability to just be in the presence of someone they truly care about.

* * *

Naruto walks into the gym and sees Kobe doing some light stretches. He puts his gym bag down and walks over.

"Are you sure you are ready to start practising again? I really don't want to be the reason for your recovery going backwards."

Kobe rolls his eyes before getting up and picking up a ball. He walks to the free-throw line and lines up a shot.

"Since you are suspended, you can help me get back into the swing of things. We aren't going to be doing anything strenuous, just going through the motions. This will help me get my edge back and help you refine your style of play. We are going to work on some post-up moves since you practically never use them."

"Why post-up moves? I can already shoot the ball quite well from mid-range and beyond the arc."

"Yeah, I know. But most of those are high-risk shots. You need to become more efficient. Right now you are just wasting possessions and stamina. Besides, this will give you a wider move-set to work with. Instead of the flashy plays, it'll be better to score consistently and continue to put points on the board. The flashy moves are pointless if they don't win us the game."

Naruto nods his head in agreement before running up and down the court to warm his body up. Somehow, he just knew that this was going to be punishment for getting suspended.

* * *

 **so once again let me know what you think and all that. i** **will leave clues as to who the girl is in the coming chapters but i will only reveal who she is around the time of his second season. review and let me know if you have any suggestions or things like that.**


	13. Chapter 12

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 12**

"Oh my god! What happened to your face?" she screamed out at seeing Naruto's face full of bruises. She reaches her hand out to lightly run a finger over his cheek but quickly pulls it back when he winces in pain.

"This is part of my punishment for getting suspended. My managers gave certain friends of ours free reign to beat the crap out of me." He grumbles as he sits down on a nearby bench.

Just as she's about to sit down next to him, she gets the fright of her life when a really big fox comes trotting down the pier to sit at Naruto's feet. Naruto shakes his head and begins scratching the fox behind his ear.

"Kurama, you know Hima-hime doesn't like it when you sneak out of the house." The fox responds by wagging his tail and lying down next to the bench to take a nap.

"Okay why is there a giant fox following you around?"

"Oh, this is Kurama. He's part of the family really. I have a close family friend that worked on him just after he was born to make him grow to live as long as a human would. The jump in size is just a side affect of that."

Conversation between the two of them flow easily between subjects as they catch up on what they missed in the past few days.

"Oh, I thought of something that might help you." She gives him a curious look that tells him to go on. "Well, I think that a reason why you still feel hurt and things over that guy is because you have no way of releasing what you feel. Talking is fine and everything but sometimes you just need something more."

"What do you use to let go of everything then?"

"I play ball. I leave everything on the court. You might not know this but I am a very hot-headed person. I use basketball to get rid of any anger or frustration that I might have. So all we have to do is find something you enjoy doing and then work that into you letting of everything."

She sat in silence, contemplating what she actually enjoyed doing and wondering how it might help her.

"Well… I love singing…"

"That's great!" he exclaims with excitement. "So write a song. Put everything that you are feeling into words and write them down. Once that's done can put music to the words you wrote."

"What if…" She looks down shyly, to afraid of making eye contact with him. "What if you don't like it?"

"Me? Why would my opinion matter?" Naruto questions her in confusion.

"Has anyone ever told you that you can be really slow sometimes?" she questions back with a giggle.

"Yeah, all the time." He answers seriously. He smiles a genuine smile once he hears the laugh that erupts out of her. "I like hearing that."

"Hearing what?"

"You laugh like that. So carefree, without anything to worry about." She ducks her head to hide the blush on her face. He sees it but decides to rather let it go for the moment. "So tell why my opinion matters so much."

"Cause I care about you, you big doofus! I don't want what I write down in the song to hurt you in anyway. I don't want to lose you in anyway…" her voices trails off towards the end. He looks at her and can easily see the vulnerability she tries so hard to hide.

"Ey, look here." He gently lifts her chin up with his finger. "You won't lose me. In fact, I was thinking that as soon as I find out your name, I'll introduce you to Himawari."

A shocked expression takes over her face.

"You'd want me to meet your daughter."

"Why wouldn't I want my best friend to meet my daughter?"

* * *

"Ey, can I ask you something?" Naruto's sudden question carries through the mostly empty gym.

"Yeah you can." Kobe answers as he takes a ball from the full basket next to him and makes a free-throw.

"Why do you focus on mid-range shooting when I know you are quite good and shooting it beyond the arc?"

Kobe takes awhile to answer but Naruto doesn't mind. He learnt early on that Kobe likes to think his answers through before voicing it.

"Mid-range shots are sort of like a warm-up, to get you going in a game and to find your range. At least, that's how I view them. If I become confidant with my mid-range shots then I feel good about taking shots beyond the arc." Another swish indicates another free-throw made. "I practice them so much because they are my comfort zone. They are what I revert back to if nothing else seems to be working."

"What about lay-ups and dunks and things like that?" Naruto questions again as he makes his way to the middle of the court and starts going through his routine dribble with the ball.

"I'm confidant in them as well. The thing is, I don't like using just one type of shot. It makes it easier for the defender to handle you and shut you down. Mid-range shots are unique because there's so much space from where to shoot them from. Plus, the give you the option of going to the basket, stepping behind the arc, or just shooting the ball from where you are.

For me, the worst type of person to defend is someone that can score from anywhere on the court. So that's what I tried so hard to become. Even if I wasn't catching fire, the other team always had to keep an eye on me because there was nowhere on the court that I wasn't a threat."

The two men continue the routines in silence. Naruto's suspension was almost over and Kobe was getting stronger by the day. In fact, Naruto was amazed at just how good Kobe Bryant really was. He made it look so effortless when he was in a game but it was here, in the safety provided by closed doors, that Naruto was able to witness just how much work was put into perfecting his game over the years.

Naruto noticed something else. Something that excited him more than almost anything else he felt before. It was the competiveness shown by Kobe. For so long Naruto thought he would never find someone who took basketball as seriously as him but how wrong he was. Everything they did turned into a competition. Even though he was just a Rookie and Kobe was past his prime, the two of them weren't scared to lay it all out on the court. What excited and frustrated Naruto was the fact that he barely won any of the competitions the two held. He would only barely manage to come out on top in 3-point shots. Everything else though, Kobe utterly dominated.

"Why do you do it?" Naruto asked as they both sat down on the chairs next to the court. "Why keep doing this even though you have proven yourself to be one of the best?"

Kobe leans back into his chair and allows a wistful smile to fall onto his face. Even though he might never admit this to anyone, he sees a lot of himself in Naruto. The drive to proves his worth and become the best was the exact one he had when he was younger. He took Naruto under his wing to provide the help he felt he never had in the same position.

"In the beginning I was just a kid fresh out of high with big dreams about being the best and proving everyone wrong. I was so young that my parents had to sign a contract for me. I grew up in Europe so coming here to America, with all its racial stereotypes, instantly made me an outsider since I hardly encountered that in Europe. Basketball was the only thing I had to prove I belonged. After awhile, it became the thing that allowed me to stand above everyone else." Kobe shakes his head as if to clear away some of his memories and leans his elbows onto his knees. "I won't sugar-coat anything. Some people might take offence to what I'm about to say but I have a feeling that you will understand me perfectly.

When I started out, I wanted nothing more than to be the best. I wanted it so bad that I pushed away my teammates and everyone willing to help me. I didn't get along with Shaq even though the two of us could've have gone on to be on of the greatest duos ever. I was fixated on being the alpha, the guy everyone turned to. Now, at my age, I'm content on be considered as a top 10 maybe even top 5. I don't want that for you. You coming into the League against Lebron can be compared to me coming into the League against Jordan. The difference is that you have a shot at beating him while he's still in his prime so that you won't just have comparisons to look at. I'm not content with being one ring away from him. I want to be on even footing with him. It's selfish, I know, but I wouldn't be where I am today without that mentality of wanting more.

Don't settle, Kid. You don't want to have any regrets. I know how you are feeling about all this and I probably understand you better than anyone. Play as best as you can every match; beat any and everyone who steps in your way; and when Lebron and his generation retire, knock down anyone who attempts to take your spot. I'll give you the tools to be better than everyone who came before you. Its up to you to make sure you stay better than anyone who comes after you."

* * *

"You know, if the Lakers can keep there record the way it is, they have a really good shot at reaching the play-offs this year. Stephen A., Skip Bayless… your thoughts?"

"We are too early into the season to be praising the young man the way we are." Skip starts things off. "Yes, he is doing exceptionally well but it cannot last. He will tire out eventually and then what? Who will the Lakers have to turn to? They are putting all their hopes on the shoulders on a rookie who can't even play a full half yet! My advice? Tank the season and get a high draft pick."

"I think a lot of people are forgetting something very important. Excuse me, not something but _someone_ : Kobe 'Black Mamba' Bryant!"

"You can't tell me you believe that he will make that much of a difference!"

"Oh and why not? They will have some amazing fire-power with players that can score wherever and whenever. Add onto that, the Lakers will have one of the best, if not, _the_ best lockdown defenders this league has ever seen with their rookie shaping up to be just as good. Plus, they finally have someone to replace Steve Nash when it comes to moving the ball around court. To me, if the Lakers can gel properly, there is no reason why they won't be able to win the entire thing come next year."

"You are delusional. A team _cannot_ and _should not_ place itself on the shoulders of someone that can only play _one quarter_! Its absurd!"

"He's averaging: 13.5 points, 6.7 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game. And that's all from that _one quarter_ that he gets to play! I don't care who the hell you are! That is amazing stats to put up for just one quarter."

* * *

"Naruto, your suspension is up. From what Kobe told me you are coming along nicely in terms of conserving your energy while playing. There's a new formation I wanna try out that might just be able to help you play for longer durations in the game." The coach informs Naruto.

"Coach, what do you mean? Am I starting?" Naruto questions in excitement, a huge grin on his face.

"We are gonna give it a trial run in the match against OKC. Now, I'm not saying that we'll stick to this new formation but if it works out well then you'll definitely be playing a lot more."

Naruto walks out of the office with a skip in his step. He makes his way towards the gym and finds it completely empty. In the confines of the deserted gym Naruto allowed a vicious grin to final fall upon his face. He could feel his entire body starting to heat up, itching to prove his worth as a starter.

He's broken out of his thoughts by a sudden smack to the back of the head. He whips around with his fist already moving to whoever hit him. At the last second he notices that its Kobe standing before him. Naruto manages to stop his fist a hair's breadth from Kobe's jaw. The thing that scares Naruto about the whole incident is the fact that Kobe didn't even flinch. He just stood there with a bored look on his face even though his eyes had a stern glint to them.

"Need I remind you of the fact that the last time you decided to let your emotions get the best of you, you had to be carried off of the court." Kobe states sternly to a sheepish Naruto.

"Hehe, sorry Kobe." Naruto replies as he retracts his fist.

"Okay, lets go over some of your observations on OKC."

"Right! The only two we really need to worry about are Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Westbrook is the main ball handler while Durant is a scoring machine."

"Okay, how do you plan on stopping them?" Kobe asks curiously. "Westbrook is quite quick and explosive. Durant is tall as hell and can score just about anywhere he wants."

"I plan on defending Westbrook. If he's the main ball handler then it only makes sense to focus on him more than Durant. Even though Durant is the more lethal player, I can't stop him yet. I'm still not used to playing at this level for a full game. If I try and stop Durant or both Westbrook and Durant, I will just tire myself out too quickly and that won't help the team in anyway."

"Smart thinking." Kobe nods his head. "On offense I think you should just roam around and perform screens for match." He holds up a hand when it looks like Naruto is about to protest. "I don't want to hear it. You tire out quickly because you are not efficient when it comes to selecting which shots you should take. Yes you score points but you are also wasting a lot of possessions. Possessions that someone else on the team could have used to score."

Naruto hangs his head in shame as he realises how right Kobe is. Now that he really thinks back on it, he can recall plenty of times when he should have passed instead of taking a shot.

"You are currently a PG on this team. That means when you are brought into the game in that position it is pass first, score later. When you are in the SG position its even more important to carefully select your shots as you will be the team's sniper. SF you can do whatever you want when you have the ball but make sure it benefits the team."

"But what about when no one else is knocking it down? Do I still pass or what?"

"You catch fire." Kobe shrugs carelessly. "You hype up the team and, if you are at home, you hype up the crowd. You're PG. You should know this. If your teammates aren't scoring, how do you get them into rhythm?"

"You give them easier shots…" Naruto trails off. "You attract the attention of the opponents, creating more space for your teammates to gain confidence again."

"Exactly. It's no use feeling like you on fire if your shots aren't falling. First test the waters, find your range, then go at them."

"Thanks Kobe."

"Don't mention it, Kid."

* * *

"Kobe! Wait up."

Kobe turns away from his office door to see Magic making his way over to him.

"What do you need Magic?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Naruto." Magic gestures towards the office door. "May I?"

Kobe opens the door and lets Magic walk in before he does the same. The both make their way over to the table and sit at opposites ends. Both men know that this is a serious conversation.

Not one to waste anytime with formalities or pleasantries, Kobe dives right in.

"What did you wanna talk about?"

"I want your honest opinion," Magic knows that Kobe isn't someone he can beat around the bush with, "what are your thoughts on Naruto and where you see him in a couple of years?"

Both men stare intently at each other, wanting to give nothing away but at the same time knowing that they had to for the sake of the franchise.

"In 4-5 years, he'll be at the same level I was in my prime. That's without me taking any other factors into consideration. If he was to be properly motivated, or have someone truly piss him off that much, I have no doubt he'll make good on that promise of his."

"You really think that highly of him?" Magic questions. "I mean no offense, I am quite fond of him as well, but you truly believe he'll be as good as you say?"

Kobe leans back in his seat and Magic can see that he is getting lost in past memories. While still in a daze Kobe replies in a distant voice.

"He has the same drive as I did back when I started. The defining difference between the two of us is the fact that he is much more mature than I was. He makes use of everything and everyone around him. He is not holding himself back. His work ethic already rivals my own. I just spent a few days putting him through a variety of exercises. The scary thing about it all is that I could physically see him improve with each passing day. Even when he managed to perform a move correctly, he kept at it until it almost became second nature to him. At one point we were having a conversation while he was busy landing shots from all over the court. I don't think he realised what exactly was happening but the concentration level on him is astounding."

Magic soaks all of this up with surprise. You would hardly ever find Kobe praise someone. To hear him speaking this highly of anyone was enough to reaffirm Magic's belief in Naruto.

"What would you suggest is the best course of action to take with him?"

"He needs a PG." Kobe answers without hesitation. "I noticed that as he got more comfortable with his role in the team and finally being able to play against people above his level that the PG position isn't a right fit for him. Granted, he can still play it better than most, he will become much better suited to the SG or SF position."

"So," Magic begins thoughtfully, "a PG whose main focus is passing the ball would be best for him. That might be hard to find as most PG's out there right now are basically just SG's and SF's playing the PG position."

"Don't forget that person pick will also have to be okay with giving up the spotlight to Naruto. You must have noticed that the crowd plays off of Naruto's performance on court. It's the same reaction the happened when Michael started the second 3-peat."

They carry on the conversation for a bit longer, discussing who would be the correct fit and other irrelevant matters. Eventually Magic makes his way towards the door. With a hand and the doorknob, he turns around and asks Kobe his final question.

"When are you going to tell him? Do you not think, since you are basically his mentor, that he deserves the right to know something as big as that?"

Kobe turns away from Magic and looks out the window in contemplation.

"I will tell him when we reach the finals next season."

* * *

Shikamaru and Naruto walk down the corridor towards the Laker's lockerroom. Himawari was perched on top of Naruto's shoulders and was waving at everyone that passed by them.

"So let me get this straight. You want the whole family to spend a day in a park, relaxing, messing around, and interacting with the public? Not that I'm opposed to the idea, but why?"

"You aren't the only one in the family who is popular with the public. Don't forget that a lot of our family businesses deal with the public either directly or indirectly. Plus, we all just need a day to relax."

"Eh, that's probably true." Naruto swings Himawari off his shoulders and hands her over to Shikamaru. "I noticed that Sasuke is becoming more grumpy. Sakura must be keeping him up with all the weird pregnant cravings."

Shika takes a hold of Himawari's hand and begins walking down the tunnel into the stands.

"Just make sure you put on a good showing tonight."

"Always!" Naruto answers with a grin.

* * *

Naruto crouched down in anticipation of the tip-off. He was standing off to the side in the spot a SG would normally stand. He was surprised to find himself on the starting line-up ahead of Kyle but he was going to complain.

" _Okay, so I played SG before but not at this level. Any advice?" Naruto questions._

" _Yeah, cause you are a rookie, the aren't going to put their best defender on you. For the first few minutes just go through the motions. Don't draw attention to yourself. If they make a substitution and a bench player comes on to defend you then go straight for the basket. The defender won't have a read on you yet so you should get pass him easily." Kobe answers as Naruto tightens his laces._

" _And shooting from beyond the arc? Shouldn't that be my main focus?"_

" _Absolutely not! You don't want to draw attention to yourself so quickly. Plus, if your shots don't land there is a good chance of you becoming frustrated."_

" _Frustration leads to mistakes."_

" _Exactly."_

Naruto looked over at Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Durant looked like his normal self. His posture was relaxed as he waited for the game to begin. For some reason this irritated Naruto. It was almost as if he didn't view the Lakers as a threat. However, Durant was not the player that Naruto's gaze kept going back to. Even though most of the film he watched and notes he read told him to put most of his attention on Durant, his gaze kept going back to Russell Westbrook. It wasn't as if Westbrook was even looking at him. No, his gaze was on the ball in the ref's hands. The intensity of the gaze however, was what captured Naruto's attention.

Naruto often got told that when he played all-out, with nothing holding him back, his gaze reminded people of a predator stalking its prey. Absolute focus. So much so that it unnerved anyone who happened to look into his eyes. For the first time in his life, Naruto understood what all those people meant.

He could feel a drop of sweat roll down his back. Even though Westbrook was standing still in a crouched position, not drawing anything to draw attention to himself, the amount of pressure he was releasing so much that Naruto just knew this was going to be a tough game.

The game finally began when Pau won the tip-off. Nash dribbles the ball up court while Naruto jogged to the corner. He kept an eye on Westbrook, that uncomfortable feeling from earlier not fading away at all. If anything, it increased drastically when compared to before the game.

Pau steps up and creates a screen for Naruto. Naruto gets into open space and raises his hands to catch the ball already on its way. Just before it reaches him, Westbrook jumps in the way for an interception and races down the court. Naruto chases after him but is unable to make it in time.

Naruto inbounds the ball and once again jogs up court. The game wasn't off to a good start but he wasn't going to let that affect him. He quickly cuts right into open space and receives the ball before bouncing it into the hands of Pau who makes a lay-up.

Nothing else of interests happens in the 1st quarter except both teams scoring quite a bit, with Westbrook being involved in almost all of the Thunder's points. The more Naruto kept an eye on Westbrook the more frustrated he becomes. For some unknown reason, Westbrook's style of play was rubbing Naruto the wrong way.

Naruto got taken out of the game towards the end of the quarter to rest up. With the Laker's losing their most energetic player the Thunder take the chance to begin widening the lead.

Sitting on the bench allows him to better study Westbrook. While Durant is scoring most of the Thunder's points, its Westbrook that keeps attracting Naruto's attention and ire. Half-way through the 2nd quarter the Thunder bench Westbrook and Durant, causing Naruto to jump up.

"Coach! Sub me in while they are out?" Naruto exclaims.

The coach opens his mouth to say no but then catches the looks in Naruto's eyes. The look is filled with anger. The very air around Naruto feels so violent that the rest of the people around them started paying attention.

"Okay… you and Kyle will sub in." the coach says with some hesitation in his voice.

Naruto jerks his head in acknowledgment before taking off his tracksuit and walking onto the court with a purpose. He had with him his favourite teammates to play along side: Kyle and Pau.

Kyle inbounds the ball to Naruto who surprises everyone by exploding towards the basket in a dead sprint. The defenders, unable to react in time, which him fly by as he jumps in the air and slams the ball through the hoop with a violent authority.

As he lands he faces the Thunder's bench and locks gazes with Westbrook. Both men unyielding in their silent confrontation as Naruto casually jobs backwards to set-up on defence.

As the quarter continued to wind down, he could feel himself falling back into that state of mind he fell into when he trained with Akashi. His concentration level was increasing with every passing second that ticked by. The sound of the crowd surrounding him was slowly fading away.

Naruto drives to the right of the defender marking him, making sure to keep the ball out of reach. Using his left foot he spins back around, leading the defender right into the screen set-up by Pau, and takes a step back three just as the buzzer sounds.

Naruto doesn't celebrate with the rest of the team. He hurriedly makes his way into the locker room and covers his head with a towel. His frustration and irritation levels at an all time high for reasons he still cannot explain.

"Its because you two have a similar playing style and mentality." Naruto snaps his head up at the sound of Kobe's voice. "That dominating style of play that Westbrook uses is almost identical to your own. While he is more direct-to-the-basket and you are more street ball, both of you want to utterly crush your opponent. What you are feeling right now is the desire to stake your claim and superiority over someone who is quite a good rival for you."

Naruto hangs his head back down to think over what Kobe just told him. It made sense now. It was uncontrolled excitement he felt before tip-off. He wanted nothing more than to go up against Westbrook and prove he was better.

"Namikaze!" The coach's shout breaks Naruto out of his thoughts. "I'm benching you the 3rd quarter."

"What!? Coach! 3rd quarter is mine!" Naruto exclaims in disbelief.

"Yeah, well I'm taking it away from you. The rest of the team will keep the game as close as possible. We need you to rest up." Naruto notices everyone's attention on him. He must have missed something important earlier while he was lost in his thoughts. "You will be coming on in the 4th. Your job is to go out there and win us this game. Can you handle that?"

* * *

 **once again, review and let me know what you think. i had trouble finishing off this chapter so i decided to leave it like that and focus on the next one. i'll try and keep most of the teams as close to real life as possible due to where i wanna go with the story. i don't want Naruto to be on a super team or something close to that**


	14. Chapter 13

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 13**

It was the calm before the storm. Everyone who happened to look at him in that moment knew without a doubt that something special was about to occur. Externally, nothing would lead you to believe that at that moment was as maelstrom waiting to be unleashed. He was the epitome of poise and calm; body language giving off nothing but a look of indifference. No, you would have to gaze into his eyes to find out what was really going on.

His eyes, so intense that one would say they belonged on that of an animal instead of a human, was focused entirely on Westbrook. Every step taken, every movement made, was studied with such intensity that it was scary for anyone who knew what it meant.

Anyone who kept up with basketball knew that Westbrook held nothing back when going up against someone. The obvious glares being thrown between Naruto and Westbrook left to imagination. With less than 2 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, it was plain for everyone to see.

The 4th quarter would no longer be a match between two teams…

… it would be a bloodbath between two players wanting nothing more than to utterly obliterate the other.

* * *

"Okay gents, Naruto will be handling the ball most of this quarter so on court you will follow his directions. Through sheer stubbornness and determination we have managed to keep the gap in the single digits. I know most of you are tired right now but I need you to find that last bit of strength to support him."

All the players nodded at this, all of them knew that when Naruto was in this state of mind there was almost no one able to match him. It spoke of his character and charisma that the team already considered him to be there go to man in tough situations while Kobe was out of action.

Naruto was sitting quietly on the bench waiting for the buzzer to sound. He hardly heard anything around him. All the voices and noise mashed together to create a sort of background noise that he comforting. He was barely able to keep himself in check. He could feel himself almost vibrate in anticipation.

 **Bzzzzzzzzzt**

Silence.

He heard nothing as he stood up.

He heard nothing as he took off his tracksuit.

He heard nothing as he stepped onto the court.

He heard nothing as he waiting for the inbound.

He heard everything as soon as the ball landed in his hands.

This was different. Russell Westbrook was different compared to everyone else he had ever faced before. Kobe was past his prime. The blazing inferno that once raged inside him, compelling him to destroy any and everyone in his path, had died down, as he got older. Everyone else in the league was playing this new modern style of basketball. The style which Naruto often at times heard the older generation call soft.

As he dribbled the ball up court he knew, he knew with absolute certainty that Westbrook would be able to give him the battle he so dearly craved. Both Naruto and Westbrook stare each other down, excitement and bloodlust spilling over in spades as they finally find the same intensity mirrored in the other's eyes.

Naruto explodes left, aiming to drive past Westbrook who steps in his way. He throws the ball through his legs into his right hand and explodes right only to once again be met by Westbrook. He shows Westbrook his back and posts him up, fakes left and takes a huge back step as he turns his body around for a fade-away from mid-range.

Naruto receives no time to relish his shot as Westbrook receives the quick inbound and explodes down the court at full sprint. Naruto manages to catch up and gets himself in front of the charging Westbrook but is unable to get his body to turn at the speed his going as Westbrook switches direction at a lightening pace before jumping in the lane for a monstrous jam.

The whole sequence of events takes less than 20 seconds as both players stare each other down again. The crowed, finally noticing the intense battle between the two PG's, rise to their feet cheering and chanting for more.

Naruto is dribbling the ball just past half-court with Westbrook once again in front of him. He sees Kyle step up and sets a screen. Naruto drives to the right, watches as Westbrook spins around Kyle, pivots on his left foot as he spins back the other way and performs another fade-away as Westbrook is unable to reach it in time again.

Westbrook drives left with Naruto sticking as close as possible to him. He uses his right arm to covertly nudge Naruto a step back and lays it up for another basket.

Both teams, understanding that the best chance at scoring lies with their PG, allow Naruto and Westbrook to duel it out. No one even thinks of stopping them, not even the coaches who contemplate calling a time-out to allow players to rest. Naruto and Westbrook were playing at such an intense pace that everyone else on the court could barely keep up.

Westbrook receives the ball in the left corner and drives towards the basket just as Naruto steps up to meet him. Both players jump in the air. Naruto jumps with his arms up, blocking the way to the basket. Westbrook uses his momentum to get him past Naruto and just barely dunks it through the hoop.

Naruto calls for the quick inbound after seeing Westbrook stumble to the ground. He races down the court towards the Thunder's hoop. Just as he gets in the lane Kevin Durant steps in his way and spreads out his long arms, blocking off any route he might have taken. Naruto, riding off of the adrenalin from his duel with Westbrook, jumps from the free-throw line and throws the ball down over Durant for a meteor jam.

The crowed surged to its feet in applause as a time-out was finally called for. Everyone wanted to see more of the amazing duel taking place on the court. Such a display was rarely seen in an NBA game that whenever it occurred it was watched with rapt attention.

"Okay we are doing good. They are extending the lead but at the same time," the coach glances at Naruto, "Naruto we need you to start closing that gap. I know you are doing your best right now but we need that extra push."

Naruto gulps down his energy drink as he nods along to what the coach is saying. Right now he knew that he was evenly matched with Westbrook. He needed something to get him over the line; something that would enable him to close the gap a basket at a time. Even though it was a single digit lead, with the way him and Westbrook were scoring, it would be enough to hand the Thunder a victory.

Westbrook drives easily pass Naruto only for Naruto to snap his arm back and knock the ball out of his hands. Kyle grabs the free ball and throws it down court for Naruto to chase. Naruto manages to grab the ball just as it reaches the 3-point line. Instead of taking it to the basket he quickly jumps into the air, sets his sights, and releases the ball, which bounces off the backboard and into the net.

He jogs back down the court contemplating what to do next. To the surprise of everyone around him he lets Westbrook drive past him without putting up a fight, basically giving him a free basket. He receives the inbound and catches the eye of Kyle, who upon recognising the unsaid message nods his head.

Naruto dribbles the ball on the left side of the court waiting for an opening to drive past Westbrook. He dashes left and performs a crossover to get rid of Westbrook only to be met Durant. He tries to muscle his way through but Durant sticks with him.

"Top!"

Naruto, without looking, instinctively throws the ball to where the shout came from. He turns his head just as Kyle releases the ball for a quick catch and shoot.

He watches Westbrook rush for the ball and without thinking he turns around to sprint back to defend. In front of him he sees Durant turn around to catch the touchdown pass that Westbrook throws down court. Naruto angles himself to be between Durant and where he guesses the ball to be coming from. When Durant jerk his head to the right Naruto twists his body around and uses his right foot to jump as high in the high as he possibly could. He stretches out his right arm and blindly catches the ball before swinging his arm back around and throwing a laser pass towards a surprised Pau Gasol, who scores a quick lay-up out of reflex alone.

Due to the momentum used to jump in the air Naruto stumbles as he lands and slides on his side only to bang straight into the post of the backboard.

The crowd gasps as the referees quickly blow their whistles and signal for the medics to take the court. The try and look over Naruto only for him to roughly push them away with his right hand. He stumbles to his feet and shakes his head clear of the cobwebs. He quickly shuffles over to the Laker's bench, holding his left hand to his chest al the way.

"Kinda dislocated my ring finger. It hurts, a lot. Like its fucking sore!" he exclaims in a calm voice to Kobe who is try his best not to laugh at the kid standing in front of him.

"That was probably one of the best plays I have ever seen in my life, Kid! Give me your hand." The crowd cringes at the sight of Naruto's ring finger bent at a peculiar angle. Kobe gently takes it in his hands to inspect it. "Okay it doesn't look too bad. We'll go to the med room and have a doctor quickly check it-"

"No! Just set it back in place quickly. The game is almost over anyway."

Kobe shakes his head and takes hold of the offending finger.

"On three. One, two-"

"Motherfucker! What happened to three?"

"-three." Kobe answers with a grin.

"Glad my pain amuses you." Naruto rolls his eyes as he tries to ease the pain around his finger by gently shaking it. He joined the rest of the team as the coach went over the game plan for the remaining minutes of the game.

"Okay gents, here we go. We are going to take a big risk here. Naruto, I'm moving you to SF with Nash taking over as PG. we need you to slow down Westbrook. Keep the Thunder from scoring beyond the arc. When it's our possession then create space for Naruto and Kyle to rain them down. I don't want any more fouls so give them the easy buckets if you feel the need. We are sacrificing defense for offense."

"Run and gun." Naruto and Kyle say at the same time, both of them sharing matching grins with each other.

Just like the coach instructed them, they came out scoring. The only problem was the Thunder matching them basket for basket. Durant started demanding the ball more and since Naruto was on Westbrook, there was no one on the court that could really bother him. Westbrook was still defending Naruto so the ball was given to other players in hopes of scoring easier.

It all came down to the last seconds. The Lakers needed a 3-pointer to win the game.

Rushing towards Nash Naruto calls for the ball with Westbrook right on his heals. As he catches it he quickly spins back the opposite way, making sure to keep his body between Westbrook and the ball. Using the momentum of the spin he steps back with his pivot foot to get enough space from Westbrook and jumps up to take the shot. Just as the ball leaves his hands Durant comes out of nowhere, swinging his arm down to swat the ball down the court.

The Lakers team could do nothing but watch helpless has Westbrook grab the ball over the halfcourt. Instead of going for the basket he made his way to the corner to run out the clock. With no Laker's player near him there was no fear of him being fouled.

 **Bzzzzzzzzzzzt**

* * *

The team were relaxing in the locker room after the game. Each of them tired beyond belief from the performance they just put on. None of them spoke as soft music played in the background, helping to ease the atmosphere in the room

Naruto gets up from his spot in front of his locker and makes his way to the middle of the room. Everyone moved there eyes towards him as he started rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." Shocked silence greets his statement as his teammates can't believe he would blame himself for their loss today. "We had a real chance of winning. If I hadn't duelled it out with Westbrook for so long and just passed he ball off to others who were open then we would've won today. I'm sorry. I was entrusted with winning the game today and I blew it." Naruto finishes with a bow of his head.

Suddenly a hand comes down to smack the back of his head. He stumbles forward in surprise from the hit. He looks behind him to see Steve Nash shaking his head in amusement.

"Win as a team. Lose as a team. The only reason we got that close to a win was because we all played a part in it, especially you. No one, probably not even Kobe could have kept up with Westbrook today yet you went toe-to-toe with him. In fact, if it were a pure fight between PG's, you would have won since we closed the gap in the last quarter. You can't win them all kid." He waves his arm around the room. The rest of their teammates are nodding their heads in agreement, smiles on their faces of at the antics of their rookie. "In case you haven't noticed we are on the track to making it to the play-offs. That's all because of you. You are livening up the team. Our record wouldn't have been as good as it is right now if you weren't here with us."

The rest of the team voice their agreement. Naruto looks around at all the smiling faces, happy that he chose to be a part of this franchise.

* * *

Naruto was the last one out of the locker room. He took advantage of the empty room to gather his thoughts on the match he just played, especially his duel with Westbrook. Walking out of the locker room he was surprised to see the subject of his thoughts casually leaning against the wall as if he were waiting for someone.

The two once again had a stand-off except this time Naruto could feel that the tension was higher than ever.

"Great game you had out there, Rookie. You are one of the few that managed to keep up with me." Westbrook steps closer to him and holds out his hand for a shake. As soon as their hands connect Westbrook pulls Naruto towards him. "Don't make the mistake of thinking you will be able to keep up with me like that again. You and your team aren't anywhere near my level."

Westbrook slams his shoulder into Naruto's as he walks down the empty tunnel. Naruto walks off in the opposite direction with his head bowed. If one were to look close enough, they would just be able to make out the bloodthirsty grin that adorned his face.

"So he think he can play with a kitsune…"

* * *

"And joining us today on _First Take_ is none other than the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant."

"Thanks for having me here guys." Kobe says with a small smile on his face.

"Kobe, going back to last night's game, do you really think that its right for the Laker's to base the whole team around this young player? It is only his rookie season after all." Skip Bayless questions in disbelief.

"Well, I believe that we are making the right choice. He is the number 1 overall pick from this year's draft. He is absolutely the best player to build the franchise around since all he really needs are the right type of young support players and a little bit of time to adjust to the level of play, which he is doing a brilliant job of if his stats are anything to go by."

"And you aren't worried about fitting into the team once you are fit to play?"

"The thing is, me and him gel really well on the court. Yes, once I'm back then he wont play as many roles as the team is currently asking to but that can only be a good thing since he won't have to focus on as many things."

"Mr Mamba," Stephen A. Smith begins, "you once said that Russell Westbrook was the only player in the league with your DNA in him. Do you still believe that to be true after witnessing the amazing duel between Russell Westbrook and Naruto Namikaze last night?"

"Oh, absolutely." Kobe says instantly. "Russell is definitely competitive just like I was in my prime. You could go on to say that he almost has a MJ mind-set when it comes to beating everyone on the court. Naruto however, is something on a completely different level."

"You can't be serious! We are rating him too high too fast!"

"Now hold on a minute. I wasn't done. Not a lot of people have seen what I have seen when it comes to this kid. He is really something else. His growth rate and learning curve are so steep that I have no doubt we would have won a championship together by now if he joined the Laker's straight out of high school."

"That is an extremely big statement to make."

"Yet make it I did. What you have to understand is that right now he is still in the process of acclimating himself to the league. Once he is fully settled in, then you'll see just what he can really do."

"What are your thoughts on the Laker's once you retire? You think Naruto Namikaze can handle all of that pressure?"

"Right now, he is just playing basketball for the fun of it and finding his place in the pecking order of things. I'll let you in on a little secretly. Naruto truly terrifies me." Kobe says to the shock of the commentators around him.

"What do you mean by that?"

"He doesn't have a reason for playing basketball right now other than he loves it and he wants to be the best. The thing that scares me the most is that he is already this good without a reason. No chip on the shoulder; no one that angered him; nothing like that at all. For the likes of me and MJ, we came into the league with that chip on our shoulders and it took us at least two or three season before we were as good as Naruto is right now. Yes, MJ had amazing stats but if you look at his win-loss record, it wasn't anything to brag about."

"So, what you are saying is… what exactly?"

"Once someone takes a shot at him, creates that chip on his shoulder, I promise you this, we will all witness probably one of, if not the best player to ever play the game."

"Last question. Do you think he can match-up against the other PG's in the league?"

"This season? Probably towards the end off it. I predict that it'll be next season when he'll make his bid for the best PG in the league."

* * *

She was waiting on the pier for him, excitement building up inside of her. They hadn't spoken in a few weeks due to both of them travelling so much due to their careers.

She's suddenly tackled to the ground by a much bigger Kurama who proceeds to give her a tongue bath.

"Hello to you too, Kurama." She giggles in greeting. "I missed you too Furball. Where's Naruto today?"

Kurama wags his tails before running away from her only to come back a minute later with a cute little girl riding on his back. The little girl was probably the cutest she had ever seen.

"Hi there," she greets with a warm smile at the awe struck girl, "you must be Himawari. Your dad talks about you all the time."

Himawari points a shaky finger at her and tries to say something, anything, to the young woman standing before her.

"You are the girl that dad likes!" she suddenly exclaims in excitement.

"I wouldn't go that far." She answers sheepishly. "We are just really good friends."

"Nope." Himawari replies with a warm smile. "Aunt Sakura is a really good friend to Tou-san. When he speaks of you he has the same look on his face as when he speaks of Kaa-san."

She's taken aback by this statement. After spending so much time with Naruto she managed to pick up on a few basic Japanese words.

"Your mother? You think he cares about me that much?" she questions nervously, almost afraid of the answer.

"Yup. Definitely." Himawari nods her head with absolute certainty. "He really does. I'm glad to finally meet you, not because you are famous or anything, but because you make Tou-san happy again." Kurama yips at her. "Plus, Kurama likes you. He is a really good judge of character."

She can't help but walk over to the little angel in front of her and wrap her up in a big hug. She feels the little girl's arms wrap around her neck and hug her back.

"Thank you, Little One. You have no idea how much that means to me." She says tearfully.

"That's okay. Everyone needs someone there for them. Uncle Kakashi says that family is important. So, I will be your family and be there for you." Himawari states with utter sincerity.

"Has anyone told you that you are smart and wise beyond your years?" She lets out a cute little laugh at the girl in her arms.

"Yup, Iruka-sensei says they have to move me up a few grades because I am at a higher level than everyone else around me." Himawari answers dejectedly.

"What's wrong with that?" she asks Himawari with a concerned frown, already feeling very protective of the little girl in her arms.

"I never made any friends before they told me I was going to a bigger grade. Now, most of the big kids know that Tou-san is a famous basketball player. They only wanna be my friend to meet Tou-san." Himawari tells her with tears in her eyes.

She holds Himawari tighter against her and sits down on the ground. Kurama curls around them in a protective gesture. Closing them off to the outside world as best as he could.

"Don't you worry about them at all. You have your dad and family there for you. Right now, you have Kurama and me here with you. Kurama will always be your protector and I will do my best to always be you friend Himawari." She places a soft kiss on the crown of Himawari's head. "I won't let you go through what I went through okay?"

Himawari nods her head and snuggles closer into the embrace, feeling something build up inside her that she knew she was missing but could never place.

They both enjoy the silence that surrounds them. No one interrupting them due to it being so early in the morning.

"You should head on home before they start worrying about you." She says softly to the child in her arms.

"I don't wanna go. I like being here with you." Himawari answers in a voice that lets her know that she really is just a child no matter how smart she is.

"Well then here." She writes on a piece of paper and hands it to Himawari. "This is the number to my personal phone. Very few people have it. Call me or message me whenever you want and I promise to message right back as soon as I can."

"But I don't have a cellphone."

"Well then," she replies mischievously, "I guess you'll just have to bug your dad to get you one." Both girls giggle at the idea of annoying Naruto.

Himawari gets up and gives her one more hug before climbing onto Kurama's back.

"Thank you Alex. I can't wait to see you again."

"Alex?"

"I can't call you by your real name silly." Himawari giggles. "Tou-san is supposed to find out by himself."

She smiles and waves to Himawari as Kurama casually trots away. She's ecstatic that she finally met Naruto's daughter and made a real friend.

* * *

 **okay so review and let me know. i decided to put in himawari meeting with naruto's love interest. it'll make sense later on in the story but don't go expecting to figure everything out in the next 2 or 3 chapters. i will be accelerating the basketball season a bit since theres no need to really focus on most of the matches. in either the next chapter or the one after that, i will let Naruto meet** **lebrun**


	15. Chapter 14

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 14**

"Akamaru! Kurama! Don't go to far!" Kiba shouts as he watches the huge dog and fox run off into the park.

Everyone was helping to set up the picnic site for the day. Excitement filled the air as this was the first time in months that the entire group of friends and family managed to gather together for a day of fun and relaxation.

Himawari set up a comfortable chair in the shade of a big tree as Sasuke and Naruto helped a very pregnant Sakura over. She was due in just over two months time and Naruto couldn't wait to become a godfather. He swore to treat his godchild just as he would Hima-hime.

The family spent the day playing games and eating food, everyone having a good. Himawari spent the day secretly taking pictures of her dad with her new phone. After much begging and pleading, Naruto finally gave in and sent her off with Shizune and Rin to go out and buy her a new phone. Himawari was planning on sending the pictures to Alex later.

As the day wore on, the public became more aware of the well known family having a picnic in the very public park. Through the use of many pictures and videos taken on cellphones, it was soon all over social media. This is exactly what Shikamaru planned for and he wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen, its go time!" He exclaims with authority. "I want the girls to go and mingle. Bring back some little kids over to Sakura, she's the mother for the day. Guys, go out and play sports but make sure that there are little kids playing around with you. Naruto, you are obviously on basketball duty. Head to the court and take on all challengers. Kakashi, Obito, you guys film it on a live stream. Take plenty of pictures and videos. Old people! You guys relax. Keep an eye on Sakura and be nice to anyone who comes here for conversation."

Everyone scurries off to do as Shika ordered them to. None of them wanting to face his wrath after witnessing him take away Naruto's ramen privileges.

Speaking of Naruto, he was busy making his way over to the basketball court that was close by to where the family set up. Himawari was once again sitting on his shoulders, giggling at Akamaru and Kurama as they ran in and around everyone in the vicinity.

Naruto and Himawari watched a bit of the game that was being played on the court. Hardly anyone noticed them standing off on the side. Those that did still hadn't yet recognised Naruto.

"What do you think Hime-hime? Should I go there and ask for a game or make a super cool flashy entrance?" Naruto asks in all seriousness.

Himawari giggles at her father's antics while she's busy taking a video of him. She and Alex haven't stopped talking since Himawari got her phone. Both of them were incredibly happy to finally have found a real friend in each other. They spoke about anything and everything. Alex was amazed by how smart and mature Himawari, while Himawari was amazed at how fun and caring Alex could be.

"Go and make a super cool flashy entrance Tou-san." Hima-hime giggles.

Naruto hands her over to Obito before casually making his way onto the court. He watches as the ball gets passed pretty clos to him. He pounces on it before the players can react and races down the court. As he gets to the free-throw line he gathers himself and jumps in the air to perform his signature move.

"Rasengan!" he shouts as he throws the ball down for a meteor jam.

The players on the court and on-lookers watching the game finally begin to recognise Naruto. Before he knows it he's surrounded by everyone. He gets handed many things to sign and sends a small thank you to Shika for telling him to take a marker with him. Eventually, when his fans and admirers run out of things for him to sign, he walks over to a small boy who has a basketball and kneels down in front of him.

"Hey there lil guy. How about me and you play a little 1v1?" Naruto asks with a gentle smile on his face. The boy nods his head excitedly as he follows Naruto to one half of the court as everyone else makes space for the two.

Naruto spent the rest of the time having fun with everyone. He plays 1v1's with everyone that asked him to, even playing against someone of the guys who kept thinking they could beat him. He allowed the younger kids to score against him most of the time, even helping them to dunk by lifting them high into the air.

The highlight of everything was when he told Himawari to come and play against some of the kids that were a bit older than her. At first they were sceptical about playing against a girl but after she won against everyone that she played against, they all started taking her seriously. She even asked Kakashi to take videos of her playing against the other kids and send it to her friend Alex.

Sometime after lunchtime Naruto was still playing against everyone on the court. A huge crowed had gathered on the side-lines to see if anyone could finally beat him. He was having the time of his life, even reverting to using streetball moves to get around opponents and score some points. His friends even came onto the court and had a couple of matches against him only to be soundly beaten by him in the end.

Naruto was busy talking to Himawari as he waited for the next opponent to make his way onto the court. Suddenly, his reflexes take over and snaps his hand towards Himawari's face to catch the basketball intended for her. He turns his head towards the direction in which the ball came from and his body stiffens in shock. Himawari, noticing the reaction from her dad, questions him on what's bothering him.

"Hima-hime, go over to Kakashi and don't leave his side at all. Do you hear me?"

"But Tou-san –"

"Himawari," the amount of anger in his force is enough to scare her into silence, "don't leave Kakashi at all."

Its not as if he raised his voice or anything but Himawari knew that Naruto was at his angriest when he appeared to be calm. She quickly runs over to Kakashi who wraps his arms tightly around her. She watches as her uncles all make there way onto the court to provide back-up for Naruto, all of them doing a horrible job of hiding their anger.

Naruto stands stock still as he appraises the group standing before him. The tension is so thick and so obvious that even the crowd that spent the day watching Naruto could feel it. A lot of the people were starting to get nervous as they took in this new group. They were covered in tattoos and looked like they spent too much time in the gym.

"Its been awhile, hasn't it, Naruto?" the leader of the groups asks in a haughty tone of voice, a smirk placed on his face as if he was born with it.

"Not long enough if you ask me." Naruto replies nonchalantly but those who knew him could easily hear the anger and hatred laced into his voice. "What are you doing here, Neji?"

Neji Hyuga, the one time cousin of Hinata before she got adopted by Tsunade. He hadn't changed much since the last time Naruto saw him. He still had his long hair tied in a ponytail. The only difference was all the new tattoos he had and all the muscle he seemed to have put on.

"Well, Mr Bigshot NBA Player, a little birdy told me that you were having a family day here today. So, me being the caring uncle that I am, decided to come visit my little niece." Neji answers as he makes his way forward.

His path however, is blocked as Sasuke steps in front of him with a patented Uchiha glare on his face.

"What makes you think I would allow you to go anywhere my godchild, Hyuga?" he spits out with venom.

"Out of the way, Uchiha. This does not concern the likes of you."

The tension builds as neither one of them is willing to back down. Both sides tense up in preparation for the fight that is surely to happen.

"Neji, do you still play ball?" Everyone turns their gaze towards Naruto as he calmly walks over to the basketball lying under one of the hoops. "As I seem to recall, you were said to be one of the top prospects in highschool basketball before you decided to gets on your knees and kiss the asses of the Hyuga elders."

That got a reaction out of Neji and his friends as they bristled in anger as he walked over to Naruto.

"You think you can take me on Mr BIgshot Laker Boy? As _I_ seem to recall, every single time we played against each other ended with you panting on the ground beneath your superior. You sure you want to embarrass yourself in front of all of your fans?" Neji mocks Naruto.

"Oh I'm sure they wouldn't mind," Naruto mocks Neji by curtseying, "Your Majesty."

As Neji and Naruto walked to opposite sides of the court, followed closely by their friends, Jiriaya and Itachi made their way over to Kakashi to add some extra protection for Himawari.

"This can only end badly." States Itachi.

"I know. Did you see that smile on Naruto's face?" questions Obito.

"Yeah… it was the exact same smile Minato used to have when someone tried to hurt Kushina or Naruto." Jiriaya says.

"I just hope he can control himself." Kakashi says as for once he is as serious as can be. "It wouldn't be good for him to get involved in a fight with so many witnesses around."

Himawari just held on tightly to Kakashi, scared of what might happen to her father down on the court.

Back on the court Naruto and his friends were waiting for Neji and his group to get into position. Without even saying a word to each other, they knew that none of them would be showing any kind of mercy. Even Shikamaru was feeling the need to put Neji in his place.

Naruto threw the ball across the court for Neji's team to start the game off with an inbound. The ball was passed to Neji. Naruto kept his eyes trained completely on Neji, the bored expression on his face indicating that he was already in his 'Kitsune Mode'.

Now, what Naruto said earlier was absolutely true. Before he got involved with the elders in the Hyuga family, he was one of the top prospects highschool basketball has seen in years. He was one of the very few that Naruto struggled against, going so far as to soundly beat Naruto on more than a few occasions. Many chalked it up to Naruto being a couple years younger than Neji but Naruto always knew that wasn't the case. By the time Naruto started hitting his stride in all the camps and tournaments, Neji had already left the basketball scene; only appearing on the courts late at night where players would play for respect and reputation on the streets. Suffice to say, even though Naruto was a NBA player, Neji would definitely be able to hold his own.

The haughty smirk on Neji's face fell away as he crossed half-court. He knew that the Naruto standing before him was leagues above the Naruto he used to play against as kids. He drives straight at Naruto only to pull back right in front of him and pass the ball of to a teammate.

While everyone else on the court kept the game going, Neji and Naruto stayed right where they were. Both players were leaning forward aggressively as their glazed eyes looked into nothingness. What no one else could see was the dozens of scenarios the two of them were going through in their heads. Mirages of the two of them duelling it out was happening all around them. The watching crowd was starting to get restless but that did nothing to detour them.

Both players suddenly race down court towards the ball, Naruto calling for the pass. He receives it only to have Neji press right up against him. He dribbles the ball with his left hand while keeping his body between it and Neji. He turns slightly and posts up on Neji, pushes him off with his right arm and jumps back for a fade-away.

Naruto doesn't lose the bored look upon his face as Neji snarls at him while receiving the ball. Without taking his eyes off of Naruto he sends a bullet pass down court into the waiting hands on his open teammate.

This was what Naruto hated the most about playing against Neji. Beside being able to handle the ball with amazing precision, his court awareness was almost godlike. Most times he didn't even need to look in the direction he was passing.

"Did you really think I would allow such a lowlife commoner to get the best of me again? Last time we met you got a lucky shot in. It is your fate to kneel before me!" Neji spits out venomously as he settles himself in a defensive position.

Naruto caught the ball and drove towards the basket. Neji stays on him even after he performed a crossover. He spies Kiba making his way towards the basket so he decides to throw the ball onto the ground with force, causing it to bounce over Neji's head and into the hands of Kiba who throws it down for an alley-oop.

Neji receives the ball and quickly makes his way over half-court. He drives right at Naruto until they are both at the baseline before he jumps up for a shot. As Naruto jumps up to meet him, Neji spins his body and throws it to the open man beyond the arc.

The match continues like this for a while with both teams roughing each other up quite a bit. Since it wasn't an official match, there were no referees to keep the game clean. Neither team gave any quarter, both playing to their absolute limit. The crowd realising that this was more than just a basketball match, sat in stunned silence as the battle on the court continued to rage on.

Neji and Naruto were playing the hardest out of both teams, both players refusing to give an inch to the other. Cuts and bruises littered their arms, torsos, and faces. Even though it seem like they were evenly matched, those who knew what to look for could tell that Neji was slowly starting to gain the upper hand in their private duel.

"Kakashi, what's going on? Shouldn't Naruto be dominating Neji?"

"Normally, that would be the case but you have to keep in mind that this isn't a NBA game or anything close to it. Its streetball. No rules, whatever it takes to win. Naruto, no matter how good he might be, is not accustomed to the rough play. It'll wear down on him much more heavily when compared to Neji who has made a name for himself on the streets."

On the court it finally came to a head when Naruto drives past Neji and goes for a lay-up only to get smacked down to the ground as Neji swats the ball out of bounds. Naruto lands heavily on his side, the wind knocked out of him, as Neji stands above him.

"This is where you belong. This is your rightful place in the world, the place that fate decreed you would be. The Hyugas come from royalty. You are nothing more than trash." Neji waves his arms, indicating Naruto's friends and family. "You surround yourself with trash. Its truly pathetic but also very understandable. You'll never amount to much." Neji kneels down and speaks to Naruto in a tone so low that only the two of them can hear. "You cannot fight fate Naruto. It was Hinata's fate to die. I only regret that I was unable to have a hand in it. But not to worry, I'll make sure that my niece grows up _exactly_ as her mother did."

Neji looks at Naruto with a smug smirk of satisfaction on his face as he gets up and turns his back. He calmly walks away, not noticing the change in demeanour that overcomes Naruto.

" _There is so much I wanted to do with you and Himawari. So much I wanted to experience with the two of you. I never wanted to leave my baby girl alone in the world, like my mother left me alone. I wanted to hear her first words, watch her first steps…" another coughing fit, "…take her to her first day of school, and give her advice about the boy she falls in love. I wanted to do so much…" she falls once more into a coughing fit._

" _Hina-hime please save your strength! You aren't going to die! You aren't leaving me or Himawari!" Naruto shouts at her while she gaze at him with all the love in the world._

" _You will have to do all those things in my place. Promise me Naru-koi. Promise me that you will look after our baby girl." Hinata uses her lasting remaining strength to kiss Naruto one last time._

A snarl stops Neji in his tracks. He finally takes note of the dangerous atmosphere on the court that threatens to flatten everything it comes into contact with. Even the people on the side-lines shudder in fear as an overwhelming sense of dread drops onto their shoulders.

"Where do you think you are going, Neji-hime? I ain't nearly done with you yet." Naruto says in a voiced laced in so much hatred that even the stoic Itachi Uchiha struggled to hold back a flinch. The bored look on his face morphs into one of pure unadulterated anger as he holds his hand out for the ball.

Naruto receives the inbound from Sasuke and faces Neji. He takes a deep breath and relaxes his entire body. He drives to the left of Neji only to come to a complete stop and watch Neji stumble on. Just as Neji regains his footing Naruto performs a lightning quick crossover in the opposite direction. As Neji falls down onto his ass, Naruto races past him. A defender steps in his way and jumps in the air to block him. Naruto jumps right at him, using the al most incomparable explosive power of his legs to get above the defender. As he knocks the defender back he swings the ball down through the hoop with such force that it rattles the entire backboard.

The defender stumbles back into the post holding up the hoop and shouts in pain. Naruto however, pays him no mind as he turns around to face a Neji who is still seated on the ground.

"Come bear witness to what happens when you anger a demon upon his court." Naruto steps over Neji as he and his team set up on defense.

It stopped being a game after that statement. The nickname 'Kisune' had never suited Naruto as well as it did right then and there. He was a true demon on the court. He would taunt and mock whoever dared step in his way before humiliating them in front of the entire crowd.

At one point he had his hand holding onto Neji's head as he laughed and dribbled in front of him. On the next point, he throws the ball against Neji's face before catching and shooting it, hitting nothing but net.

On defense, he swings his arm down to block the ball at such an angle that the ball hits Neji in the face, once again sending him to the ground. He stops each and every one of Neji's passes, causing Neji's amzing court awareness to be obsolete.

The crowd ate up the display being put on by Naruto. They didn't know what was said between the two players but the way Naruto was humiliating his opponents made them all forget about trying to find out. The keep cheering and chanting, waiting for the next amazing move Naruto would pull off. There was not one player on the opposing team who hadn't had their ankles broken by Naruto.

After Neji gave up guarding him, Naruto started raining down 3-pointers from all over the court. Many times he would point to a spot where he would take off. The ease with which he was able to shoot the ball amazed everyone watching him that day, including his friends and family.

With sweat pouring down his face, Naruto grabs a rebound and races down the court. Neji, in a last ditch effort to save some of his pride, steps in to try and stop him. Both players jump into the air at the same time yet Neji starts his decent much quick than Naruto. Naruto slams into Neji mid-air before throwing the ball down for a violent meteor jam.

As he lands on the ground he hears a snap followed by a shout of pain. Looking forward he sees Neji cradling his left wrist against his chest, pain written all over his face.

Naruto turns around and walks away from Neji. He steps off the court and makes his way out of the park without saying a word to anyone.

* * *

A figure makes his way out between the sliding door of the emergency room of a Hospital. He walks down the darkened street towards home with a cast covering his left wrist. He suddenly spins his body around, thrusting his right hand out at the presence behind him.

His assailant dodges the attack before driving as fist into his liver. The scream that makes its way up his throat his silenced as a shot to the temple knocks him out. Falls roughly to the ground before being picked up and thrown into a van that pulls up on the curb.

* * *

The sound of the door being banged upon wakes up the household. The master of the house refuses to leave his bed, instead choosing to wait for someone else to answer the door.

It is only after the feminine scream is heard that he rushes out of bed and down the stairs. He gets to the bottom landing and casts his eyes upon his daughter who is cradling the injured body of his nephew.

"Hanabi! What is the meaning of this?" he exclaims.

Hanabi holds out her hand and its only then that he notices the note that is covered in blood. With shaking hands he takes the note from his daughter and turns it over.

 _I warned you_

 _years ago not to come after my family_

 _make sure this does not_

 _happen again Hyuga_

 _I will not be so lenient next time_

* * *

Naruto falls down to his knees in front of the headstone before him. He doesn't even attempt to stop the tears that flow freely down his cheeks. Heart-breaking sobs shake his entire being as he lets go of his emotions without anyone alive around him to bear witness. A gentle breeze blows through the graveyard and sweeps his hair to the side as if someone were there to brush it out of his face.

"I'll bear all of it, Hime." Naruto says with conviction as the tears slow down to a crawl. "If it means keeping her safe and away from them, I'll bear all their hatred upon my shoulders."

* * *

 **okay i know this may seem like a filler chapter but i promise you that its part of the actual plot. you just have to wait awhile for it all to make sense. let me know what you think in the reviews. if you think i was too violent in this chapter then please go back to the flashbacks in chapter 2. again, i will keep the NBA teams as close to real life as possible with only a couple of changes to the teams so that the storyline actually makes sense**


	16. Chapter 15

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 15**

"Stephen A. Smith! You _cannot_ sit there and tell me you would defend this young mans actions! He is nothing but a thug! You can clearly see in the video him injuring two of the opposition players."

Stephen A. Smith drops his head and shakes it in disappointment. He straightens up and crosses his arms as he focuses his attention back onto his co-presenters.

"On a purely professional level, nothing more but a _professional_ level, I would just like to say that I do not condone what Naruto Namikaze did. I do not condone the actions in which Naruto Namikaze used. I would not be surprised if he was fined, suspended or even both, after the way in which he represented the National Basketball Association."

After saying all of that Stephen A. Smith pushes himself away from the table. He takes off his blazer jackets and loosens his tie. He places them over the papers in front of him and then proceeds to take out his earpiece and take off his mini-microphone. He looks directly into the camera, ignoring the confused looks he is receiving from everyone in the studio.

"Before I begin, I would just like to state that what I am about to say right now represents no one else's view but my own on the matter. I am taking full responsibility for my actions here today. No one should hold ESPN accountable for what I am about to say."

Stephen A. Smith takes a moment to compose himself before gazing back into the camera, a look of pure anger on his face.

"Never before in _my life,_ have I been more appalled and _disgusted_ by the media, including myself for what I said earlier. You all want to vilify a young man for defending his family from a clearly hostile threat? _Shame on you! Shame on each and every one of you!_ I, Stephen A. Smith, speaking for and representing no one other than myself, would like it to be known that I support the actions of one Naruto Namikaze for everything he did that day!" he exclaims to the shock of everyone in the studio. "In the black community… excuse me for my mistake, Naruto Namikaze is not a part of that community…" he pauses for dramatic effect, " _on the streets,_ you can be damn sure that if a brutha were to come up to me and start messing around with my family I will do everything I can to protect them and put him in his place! That is my role; that is my unwritten rule; that is my _obligation_ as a man; as a husband; as a father. I personally know many players, not just in this sport but in every sport o have had the pleasure of covering, who would have done the exact same thing. He was protecting and standing up for his daughter! He was doing the very thing a father is supposed to do in that situation… and the media wants to make _him_ the villain? _Blasphemous!_ Naruto Namikaze, I respect you as a _man_ and as a _father_. Stand behind you on this matter 100%! If they are going to punish you for your actions then they should punish me for this as well!"

Stephen A. grabs his tie and blazer before making his way out of the studio, the camera following his every move.

"I _will not_ be a part of a segment where we vilify a father for doing his job and protecting his child. To me, Naruto Namikaze is the perfect example of how a father should conduct himself."

* * *

"Kobe! Kobe!"

"Mr Bryant, a word if you will!"

Kobe just stepped out of the Laker's training center straight into a horde of cameras and reporters. He knew what this was about and was ready to give his opinion on the matter even if one of the co-owners told everyone to be silent on the matter.

"Yes, how can I help you guys todays?"

"Where do you stand on the issue of the altercation of Naruto, who many are calling your protégé?"

"Of course I wish it never happened but I fully support Naruto's actions. Speaking as a father myself, I would have done the exact same thing."

"Kobe! Are you not worried about Naruto's violent tendencies? He already got suspended once for getting in a fight with Draymond Green earlier in the season. Does this not worry you about the stability of him?"

"I think you should go back and look at the footage of the Draymond Green fight. Green swung first; Naruto retaliated in self-defence. And this latest incident, Naruto was protecting his daughter."

"Do you not think he should have just walked away from it all?"

"If he did that he would have lost a lot of respect from me and many players in the league. It was a matter of his pride as a man and as that of a father."

Kobe raises his hand to indicate for everyone to be silent. He sweeps his gaze across all the reporters before him, ignoring the flashi8ng lights of the cameras.

"I am proud of Naruto. My respect for him, which was already quite high to begin with, has now skyrocketed because of his actions." Kobe pauses for a moment. "Thank you. No more questions."

* * *

A timid knock was heard late at night. She was up anyway due to not being able to sleep after hearing all the news about Naruto. She slowly walks towards the door of her apartment and looks through the peep-hole. Not seeing anyone, she turns around to walk back to the couch, only to be stopped by another set of timid knocks to her door.

She makes her way over and quietly opens the door only to come face to face with a crying Himawari and a sad looking Kurama.

"Oh baby girl, come here." She gently embraces Himawari and holds her tight against her chest. "Come on Little One. No need to cry." She walks towards the couch with Himawari in her arms. Kurama curls up by her legs whines his discomfort.

"Wanna tell me what's wrong, Little One?" she asks gently.

"Tou-san is being called a bad person by everyone cause he was protecting me." She sniffs cutely. "Its all my fault. He won't love me anymore."

"Hey now, don't be silly. Your dad loves you more than anyone else in the entire world." She rocks back and forth, hoping to sooth the distressed girl in her arms. "He does not blame you nor will he _ever_ stop loving you."

They sit there in the comfort and safety of her living room. Protected from the harshness of the outside world. Kurama, their faithful guardian, asleep on the floor right next to them.

"Little One, I think you should phone him to let him know that you are okay." After seeing the look of panic in the young child's eyes she quickly corrects herself. "Or I can talk to him for you?"

Himawari nods her head at that and settles back down into the embrace. She gently takes the cellphone out of the young girl's jacket pocket and unlocks it.

"Hey Naruto, it your best friend from the pier. Yeah, I think we need to talk…"

* * *

The team were all gathered in the locker room before the game against the Warriors. It was the first game at home since the incident in the park and the entire team could tell that Naruto was nervous about the crowd's reaction towards him.

"Hey man," Steve Nash comes up to him, "don't worry about it too much. You got all of us right behind you."

"He's right about that." Naruto turns his head to look at Kyle Korver. "You are my teammate. I will stick by you through all of this."

The rest of the team gave their agreements and encouragements. Naruto, choked up from the display by his teams, tears up just a bit.

"Thanks guys. I won't let you down."

The team walk out of the locker room and down the tunnel. They slow down as they finally hear the noise level and the strange chant being cheered throughout the stadium.

"What is that?" Naruto voices the team's confusion.

"They are waiting on you, Kid." Kobe answers as he makes his way towards the team. "Go out there and give them a show they all came to see." Naruto warily makes his way down the tunnel, not noticing Kobe indicate to the rest of the team for them to wait.

He steps out of the tunnel to the roar of the crowd. He finally takes note of the chant he keeps hearing and he can't keep the wide grin on his face from showing his complete joy.

"Kitsune! Kitsune! Kitsune!"

He makes his was onto the court and looks around the stadium at all the cheering fans. He lifts his arms into the air and watches the crowd go into a frenzy. The noise level is so loud he can literally feel the vibration through the floor.

He takes note of a poster being held up by two young boys court-side. He walks over towards them while taking off his tracksuit and warm up tops. The crowd, especially the female portion, gape at how well built he is and the few scars that can be seen on his body by their slight discoloration.

"Hey there lil gents." He greets the two boys warm. "Mind borrowing me your poster for a bit? I'll even swap you my tops for it."

The two boys eagerly nod their heads at Naruto and hand over the big poster they were holding between the two of them. Naruto waits for the boys to put the tops on before he crouches down to their level.

"What you kids waiting for? Hurry up and climb onto my shoulders." The boys look towards who Naruto assumes to be their mother, silently asking for permission. "Don't worry ma'am, they'll be safe with me."

The rest of the Lakers team walks out onto the court to witness Naruto walking around with two young boys on his shoulders holding up a poster. He has his arms secured tightly around each of them to keep them from falling. It's as he makes his way past them that they finally see what's written on the poster being held up be the two kids.

 _WELCOME TO THE DEMON'S COURT_

Kobe laughs out loud after reading the poster.

"Ey, isn't that what Naruto called the basketball court in the video? 'Demon's Court'… It actually has a nice ring to it."

After both teams are done warming up the starters take to the court. Naruto, starting off in the SF position was eagerly waiting for the ref to toss up the ball. The coach had finally given him the all clear to be a starter. With Nash as the PG, Kyle as the SG, and Naruto as the SF, the team had a very flexible unit on the court with both Nash and Naruto being able to handle the ball. Naruto's ability to play a variety of positions was a unique situation that the team was very willing to exploit.

While the excitement for the match to begin was swirling around inside of him, Naruto didn't forget what happened the last time he played the Warriors. He was on friendly terms with Klay Thompson but it was Draymond Green and the newly dubbed 'Baby-Faced-Assassin' that he couldn't stand. Even though he had to admit that Curry was one of the best shooters he has ever seen, he got the distinct feeling that he didn't take it as seriously as most of the people who wanted the championship.

The ball gets tossed up with the Warriors winning it. Naruto waits for Curry to get the ball before he presses right up against him. Naruto spent hours going over the tapes Kobe had of the Warriors. He knew that Klay, Green, and Curry would go on to be the backbones of the team. Besides Green though, Klay and Curry weren't able to play their normal game when defenders got physical with them.

Naruto gets as close to Curry as possible without touching him, blocking off any direction he might wanna go, forcing him into making a pass. As soon as the ball leaves his hands Naruto steps back to have a better view of the rest of the court. Even though they had to put a weaker defender on Klay, they couldn't risk Curry catching fire.

The quarter continues with Naruto managing to lock down Curry on defence and helping out Nash on the offense. Having to PG's on the court, with one being able to score anywhere on the court, made defending them a nightmare. When Nash had the ball, Kyle and Naruto would run around into open space and make it easy for Nash to pass the ball. This also opened up the lane for Pau and the PF. With the defenders scrambling to keep up with everyone it was easy for Kyle to fire shots from beyond the arc or Naruto to shoot it from mid-range.

When Naruto had the ball it was normally in a 1v1 situation. Very view people in the league could guard him. The Warriors currently had no one that could keep up with him. When they ordered a 2v1 Naruto would just find a way to pass to the open man. It wasn't the best system out there due to it relying heavily on Naruto's ability to keep changing roles but it was working to shut down the opposition.

However, once Naruto was taken out to rest on the bench, the Warriors main shooters in Curry and Klay had free reign to do what they like. So even though the Lakers would outscore the Warriors when Naruto was on the court, due to them not having anyone to stop Curry and Klay, the Warriors easily made up the points the lost.

In the second quarter Naruto started to heat things up. He performed a lightning quick crossover to get past Green into the lane for a lay-up. Just has he was up to jump he felt their Center jump to block him. Naruto faked a pump before jumping up to collide with the defender while bouncing the ball of the backboard into the hoop for an 'and one'. On defence he was once again all over Curry, frustrating him that he got blown up for a charging foul.

Naruto, knowing he was about to get taken out of the game soon, decided to take over. He intercepted a pass meant for Curry and raced down the court to dunk it with authority. Staying on the Warriors side of the court, Naruto waited for the ball to be inbounded before pouncing on it and throwing it to an open Kyle in the corner.

As he jogged he heard Shika and the rest of his family start his favourite chant.

"Kitsune! Kitsune! Kitsune!"

He shook his head and Shikamaru's determination to get him a good moniker.

" _We have to ensure you have a good nickname from the get go. It stays with you for the rest of your career. We can easily merchandise the whole 'Kitsune' thing plus it's a part of your family heritage and all that."_

Naruto switched things up this time by giving Curry a bit of breathing room. Curry, not expecting Naruto to be setting up a trap for him, jumped up for a quickly release only to have the ball swatted out of his hands by a quickly airborne Naruto. Nash grabs the rebound before spinning and smacking the ball down court for Naruto to chase down. He grabs the ball and jumps in the air from behind the arc without losing momentum. He sails close to the hoop before releasing the ball and watching as it catches nothing but net.

The Warriors call a time-out while Naruto waves his arms in the air to hype the crowd up even more. He was having probably his best game to date. He already had 21 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. He was on fire. The crowd was backing him up with each play he made, the team was working better than ever.

The 3th quarter was where the Warriors pulled ahead. Naruto was being saved for the final quarter so there was no one to lock down on Curry and Klay who both caught fire. With Green muscling his way down the paint, the Lakers were forced to try and keep the gap as close as possible for when Naruto came back into the game.

"Hey Steve, I got a favour to ask."

"Sure, what's up?"

"Can you walk the ball up the court for most of the in bounds? I wanna lose my mark but I doubt I will be able to get to the rim easily with Green keeping an eye on me. If I get Curry then I can easily get past but I don't want to risk them double teaming me too early into the quarter."

"No problem." Steve agrees. "You should also start shooting from beyond the arc. You have really done that this game so the are giving you a bit more space on the outside."

"Thanks. Will do."

Everyone in the crowd jumped to their feet when they took note of Naruto making his way onto the court for the final quarter.

"Kobe," Magic starts on the side-lines behind the coaching staff, "did you notice that as well?"

"Yeah…" Kobe responds. "I hate to say this and sound childish but… I told you so."

The coach in front of them turns around with a questioning look upon his face.

"What are you two referring to?"

"When Naruto steps onto the court his entire demeanour changes. You can go as far as to say that it's a switch that's being flipped." Kobe shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. "The thing that I noticed earlier on with him is that he does it consciously. He can switch it on and off at will."

"So what's wrong with that?" the coach asks confusedly.

"It means that we haven't seen everything he is capable of."

The Warriors put Klay in front of Naruto for the beginning of the quarter. Naruto kept his eyes on Klay but his attention was on everything else around him. He stayed in his spot while the Lakers tried to score, making no move to call for the ball. With the shot-clock almost reaching zero Naruto rushes to the rim, blasting past an unsuspecting Klay. He watches Pau release a rushed shot and jumps in the air in anticipation. Just as the ball bounced off the rim Naruto's hand met it before anyone else had a chance to jump for it. He slams the through the air while spinning through the air to avoid the players below him.

Naruto rushes back down the court as to get in front of Green who is mostly likely to receive the ball for a quick counter. He turns around only to be surprised by the wide open Klay in the corner who sinks the ball in for a quick 3-pointer.

"Tsk." Naruto looks around in frustration. He couldn't guard Klay and Curry at the same time. Plus keeping an eye on Green and he just had too much to do.

"Kyle! Don't protect the rim. When they have the ball then stay on Klay but as soon as the shoot the ball then rush down the court." He turns his head towards Jordan Hill and Pau. "Guys, I hate to say this but I'm going to need you two to focus on the paint. Keep Green away from the rim. Steve will keep an eye on their SF."

The team nod their heads as they make their way up the court. Nash receives the ball and quickly passes it to Naruto. Naruto catches it and holds his ground while surveying the defence before him. AS Curry steps up to meet him Naruto drives left and gets past him. Green meets him at the elbow of the key. He uses his left hand to bounce the ball behind his back before spinning on his left foot, grabbing the ball with his right hand, and rushing towards the rim. Instead of going up for a basket he throws a no-look pass towards a rushing Pau who dunks it through the hoop.

On defence Naruto was once again pressed up again Curry. This time, instead of just blocking his way, he was using his arms to try and get the ball, causing Curry to force a pass or risk the chance of having it stolen. Curry attempts to pass the ball to Klay but it gets intercepted by Kyle who then passes it up court to Naruto. Naruto comes to a dead stop behind the arc and shoot s the ball, watching the trajectory until it passes through the hoop.

The quarter continues with Naruto locking down Curry at every possession. He picks up two fouls but doesn't bother with them since it's the final quarter.

On offense he's all over the court. The Warrior's defenders, unable to keep up with him, resort to trying to switch defenders on him but that doesn't work since it leaves Kyle or Nash open. When he does receive the ball he either shoots it from distance or rushes to the basket.

On one possession he goes up for a lay-up with Green jumping in the air to stop him. Naruto waits until he feels the contact before throwing a reverse lay-up. He hears the whistle before he lands. Turning to the crowd he screams at them.

"They can't guard me! They can't stop me!" The crowd's screams reach fervour pitch in response to Naruto.

After the free-throw is taken the team heads back onto defence. Naruto takes note of the fact that Curry isn't dribbling the ball up the court. He sends Curry an infuriating smirk as he steps back to give him space. He shadowed Curry as he ran around the court, not giving him a chance to get the ball. As they were running across the lane Naruto quickly changed direction to tap the ball away from Klay who was waiting to receive it. He gestures to Kyle to throw it down court for him and races after it. He grabs it and makes his way to the basket. Feeling the presence of a defender on him, he quickly does a 180 and throws it back towards the trailing Kyle Korver who performs his signature quick release.

With the 4th quarter running down the Lakers manage to go on a un of outscoring the Warriors with Naruto using up everything to keep Curry on lockdown while attempting to steal the ball. The Warriors calling a time-out provide him with a much needed rest.

Sweat was pouring down his face as he sat down on the bench. It wasn't that his body couldn't handle the strain of it like in the beginning of the season, the team just had no one else that was capable of helping him out. He couldn't keep the grin off of his face though. These were the moments he lived for. His blood was pumping through his veins at an accelerated rate.

The buzzer sounds to indicate the end of the time-out. He waits for the ball to be inbounded to him before he passes it up court to Nash. He side-steps his marker and sprints his way up court. Calling for the ball he takes two quick steps before jumping into the air and gently floating it over the outstretched defenders for Pau to finish it off with an alley-oop.

"Naruto!" Naruto snaps his head to the side to see Kobe trying to get his attention. "No time left! Start sinking them!" He glances at the clock to see that they had less than two minutes left and they were down by 14 points.

The distraction costs him however, allowing the Warriors to try and make a basket at the other end of the court. He races back down court to try and stop them. Acting on instinct alone, he ignores everyone else and heads straight for Green. Just as Green receives the ball Naruto jumps into the air. He starts his descent just as green leaves the ground, swatting the ball out of his hands and in the direction of the surprised Pau Gasol.

"Ey!"

The shout breaks Pau out of his shock and he turns his head around to see Naruto running down court with his arm in the air. Pau rushes the pass. Naruto, forced to change directions, turns his back to the hoop and jumps in the air. In one single motion he catches the ball and lands, then turns his body around while jumping back into the air and releasing the ball for a quick catch and release.

He stays on the Warriors side of the court and pressurises Curry. Moving his arms to block off Curry he quickly snaps his hand forward and knocks the ball out of Curry's hands. He grabs it, dribbles once, and takes a big back step behind the 3-point line to shoot it while fading away. The crowd goes wild at the two quick baskets with Naruto hyping them up even more.

The Warriors miss their shot on the next possession and Pau gets the rebound. The Lakers rush down the court as Nash dribbles up court. Both Naruto and Kyle run towards him. Nash passes to Kyle who jumps in the air before throwing it down to Naruto who splits the defence and slams it through the hoop.

With the clock continuing to run down, the Lakers decide against fouling the Warriors and instead focusing on a full court press, pressuring them in their own half. Klay tries to throw the ball up court before the eight seconds are up. Naruto suddenly appears in front of him. Jumping as high as he can, Naruto smacks the ball down a wide-open Kyle who sunk it with nothing but net.

Naruto, feeling himself sink deeper into that state of mind when he's on fire, decides to Curry a little space. Curry tries to get past him by throwing the ball behind his back and driving in to opposite direction. When that doesn't work he takes a step back _well_ beyond the 3-point line and lets the ball go only for it to hit the rim.

Pau once again grabs the rebound and sends it Naruto's way. Naruto races down the court, leaving everyone else behind him. He comes to a stop at the 30ft marker and takes a shot, holding the pose until the ball goes through the hoop.

With less than a minute left and feeling on fire, he and Pau double Green and manage to make him fumble the ball. He passes it to Nash and runs into the open corner. Getting the ball back he pump fakes and watches as Klay sails past him. He then releases the ball and head backs to defence without watching it.

As he walks past Curry he spreads his arms out and shouts at him over the roar of the crowd.

"This is my court! This is the _Demon's Court_!" Naruto exclaims with a bloodthirsty grin on his face.

With that, the Lakers finally take the lead in the 4th quarter after staging a brilliant comeback. The Warriors try and regain the lead but end up fumbling them their shots due to rushing and the pressure of the clock winding down.

 **Bzzzzzzzzzt**

Just as the buzzer sounds Naruto rushes to the commentators table and jumps on top of it. He waves his arms around, getting the crowd to chant with him.

"Whose court is this?"

"The _Demon's Court_!"

"Whose court is this?"

"The _Demon's Court_!"

He jumps down and celebrates the great comeback victory with his teammates, the grin on his face never wavering for a single second.

* * *

"Fuck!"

Naruto stumbles back into the camera crew sitting behind one of the hoops. He picks him self up off of the ground and makes his way down the court in anger.

It was Christmas day and the Lakers were playing against the Miami Heat. Throughout the game they were unable to stop the freight train that was Lebron James. Even putting Naruto on him didn't help matters at all due to Lebron just muscling past him each time. Even when the ball didn't come his way the Heat still scored by using their other players. Naruto knew that facing the reigning champions would be tough but he definitely didn't expect them to so completely dominating.

On top of all that, Naruto just picked up his 4th foul of the game and it was only the 3rd quarter. The team couldn't afford to take him out as then they wouldn't have anyone with a shot at stopping the Heat.

The longer the game went on the more frustrated Naruto got and it showed in his FG%. He was 3/18, translating into him having probably his worst night of shooting _ever_.

Naruto goes up for another lay-up only to have the ball swatted against the backboard by Lebron. Naruto chases him down the court and manages to get in front of him. He tries to reach for the ball but in his haste he pushes Lebron and causes him to stumble. The whistle blows as Lebron throws the ball up and into the net.

Naruto, after picking up his last foul, walks off the court with his head bowed to the cheer of the Miami crowd. He walks down the tunnel in disappointment with a towel wrapped around his head.

"Frustrating isn't it?" He looks up to see Kobe walking next to him. "No matter how good you are, you can't do everything by yourself. You especially can't win a match when the best player on the court is on the opposite team and you having no one with the ability to sufficiently back you up."

"Then why don't you tell me what I should be doing?" Naruto questions in irritation only to receive a raised eyebrow by an amused Kobe.

" _Your job_ , is to get the team to the play-offs this season. Build up everyone's confidence for next season where all the pieces will be in place. Don't beat yourself up about losing to one of the top players in the world when this is just your first season."

Kobe walks away and leaves a frustrated Naruto standing in the locker room alone. He snatches the towel off his head and throws it against the bench.

"Tsk."

* * *

 **so like always, leave a review and let me know what you think. i know that some of you may be thinking that the Lakers scored too much with only 2 minutes left but i will have you know that there are plenty of instances where a player on fire goes on to score a lot of points in a very little amount of time**


	17. Chapter 16

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 16**

Naruto caught the ball as he came off the screen set up by Pau. He drove towards the basket with Blake Griffin doing his best to slow him down. Naruto threw the ball behind him with his left hand before quickly crossing it back over in front of him with his right hand, causing Griffin to stumble away from him in an attempt to keep his footing. He drives to the basket and turns his body to the right while throwing an under-handed no look pass to an open Kyle Korver in the corner.

The crowd surges to their feet at the latest amazing play produced by the wonder rookie. Ever since the defeat to Lebron James and the Miami Heat, Naruto started playing better than ever. He was easily outstripping all other rookies in the league. In fact, most analysts were stating that he was the sole reason for the Lakers being in play-off contention.

Due to the impressive steak he was having his stats for the season increased by quite a bit: 27min; 19.3pts; 8.7ast; 3.1reb; 2stl. He was the team's main attacking option. Even with Steve Nash on the floor, Naruto would get the most assists due to him being aggressive and driving towards the basket before passing it to a teammate.

While the Lakers as a whole were slowly becoming a team based on their offensive power, their most dangerous combination at the moment was the duo of Naruto and Kyle. With Naruto being a nightmare for defenders to deal with and providing him with plenty of chances to sink the 3-pointer, Kyle was having what was easily the best season of his career from beyond the arc. Naruto would run around with the ball and either pass it to Kyle or wait for Kyle to run off of a screen for a catch and shoot.

That's not to say that everyone else on the team weren't contributing to the team's success. Naruto and Steve made sure to get everyone involved. They had a system when at least one of them was on the court at all times, even though they were at their most dangerous when Naruto was in command.

Even though the team was playing beyond the expectations of everyone, it didn't mean that they didn't have a few losses. There just wasn't enough quality and depth on the bench for the team to be a constant threat on the court. Even though Naruto was adjusting to the level of play, he still wasn't able to play as much as he would have liked. However, with the help of Kakashi and Kobe, he was slowly starting to get his body to where it needed to be.

With Kakashi now on as his full time personal trainer, Naruto was now put through his paces every time he went to the gym. Kakashi once again had him go through a weight regime where instead of gaining muscle from the get go, Kakashi would have Naruto go through each exercise as slowly as possible. This allowed Naruto to strengthen the muscles he already had as well as giving them definition.

Kobe was putting Naruto through his paces when it came to pure basketball. They focused almost entirely on technique and having the motions of all the different shots become almost second nature. Even though Naruto's growth rate was astounding, Kobe was more than keeping him in check. It was during these practises where Naruto came to understand how far beyond Kobe was when compared to most superstars in the league. What surprised Kobe more than anything else was the fact that he could feel himself becoming almost as good as he was when he won his last championship. Practising with Naruto at such a high level was lighting a spark in him that hadn't been there for the past few seasons.

Naruto got into a defensive stance in front of Chris Paul as he dribbled the ball up court. He stepped up just as Paul started driving to the corner. He sees Paul makes eye contact with someone behind him and quickly spins around the screen before jumping into the air to block the 3-pointer. He runs down the court as Kyle receives the loose ball. He makes it to the corner and turns around just in time to catch the pass thrown to him by Kyle. He pump fakes and waits for the defender to fly past him before releasing the ball from beyond the arc.

* * *

Naruto stumbles backwards as Kyrie Irving drives past him. He snaps his hand back in an attempt to knock the ball away but only manages to foul him as he releases a shot.

On the next play Naruto calls for a 1v1. The rest of the Lakers team moves to one side of the court as Naruto and Kyrie move to the opposite side. Naruto dribbles between his legs before driving to his right. Just as he sees Kyrie begin to push off the ground he quickly crosses the ball over back to his left side. Kyrie stumbles in an attempt to change directions only to fall to the ground when Naruto once again crosses over to the right before driving to the basket before jumping under it and slamming it through the hoop from the other side.

The crowd jumps to its feet at the amazing display put on by the two young PG's. So far Kyrie was winning the personal dual by having more points. However, many would say that it was Naruto that was playing better since, along with scoring a good number of baskets himself, he was racking up more assists as well as being the keystone in his team extending the lead they currently held.

Naruto rushes to catch the inbound with Kyrie right on his heels. He uses his right hand to bounce the ball on the right-hand side of Kyrie while he spins to the left. He grabs the ball and races down the court. Naruto almost comes to a dead stop when a defender steps in front of him, only to lean right and drive past at full speed. He quickly makes his way to the baseline before leaning his upper body out of bounds and swinging his arm to throw a laser beam pass to a wide-open Kyle in the corner.

* * *

Naruto goes up for a lay-up only to feel someone slam into his back, causing him to miss. He lands and turns around to find Lebron James arguing with the ref about an unfair call. Naruto makes his way up to the free-throw line and waits to receive the ball. He wasn't having the best of games going up against the current reigning champs. Along with Lebron dominating the court, Dwayne Wade was keeping him in check. He couldn't find enough open spaces to make any easy passes.

He caught on early into the game that Lebron was waiting for him once he got close to the paint. He couldn't muscle his way past and because of the defence collapsing onto him as soon as he got close, there was no space for him to freely dribble the ball. Naruto managed to get the ball to open teammates on a number of occasions but the momentum of the game has been firmly with the Heat since the start.

To add to his frustration, he hasn't been able to spend any time with Himawari in a week since the Lakers were on an away stretch. He knew she was with 'Alex' and he was perfectly okay with that. However, it didn't do anything to help his current mood.

"Naruto, you are sitting out the rest of the quarter as well as the 3rd." the coach states. "You are our main attack option but it's pointless to have you out there when they have clearly come up with a plan to neutralise you to this extent. It best to save your energy and try to go on a run in the 4th quarter."

It was a testament to just how tired he was when all he gave the coach in reply was a nod of his head. Even though he was happy about being given more responsibility in the team, Naruto had to admit that it was quite taxing on him. He was constantly tired at the end of each day.

Kobe told him that it was just a matter of it becoming a routine. Naruto knew he had to tough through this if he wanted to reach the level he was hoping to attain. Currently though, he wasn't happy about things at all.

 _ **Bzzzzzzzzzt**_

Naruto makes his way onto the court to start the 4th quarter. He was currently at boiling point after having to watch the Heat dominate the game since he was taken out.

Unknown to Naruto, his teammates could feel the bloodlust radiating off of him. They knew that Naruto only got like this when he let his anger take over. On the few occasions that it did happen, it was best to give him the ball and then move out of his way.

Naruto receives the ball from Nash and faces up with Wade on the left side of the court. Unbeknownst to him but seen by every other player on the court, a look of pure boredom adorns his face. Instead of this giving the Heat players a sense of security, they were now more wary of Naruto than ever before.

Naruto crouched down as he sized up Wade in front of him. Expecting him to try and get past Wade, everyone is surprised when he sends the ball back towards Nash. Naruto relaxes his posture and takes a step back as he surveys everyone currently on the court.

He spies Lebron make a move to steal the ball and explodes from his spot, past a surprised Wade. Just as Lebron reaches out for the ball Naruto snatches it away from him before turn his body towards the hoop and releasing a fade-away shot. He casually jogs back to his side of the court as everyone takes a moment to come to terms with what just happened.

"Pau, let me guard Lebron." Naruto says to a surprised Pau Gasol.

They change marks just as Lebron gets the ball. Naruto faces Lebron and takes a step back as he once again relaxes his body. Lebron begins dribbling in front of Naruto who doesn't fall for any of his tricks. Lebron quickly drives towards the basket with Naruto next to him every step of the way. Naruto feels himself being pushed back by the sheer power of Lebron. They both jump into the air with Naruto jumping away from Lebron so a foul won't be called. Unfortunately for Naruto, the little space that he gave was enough for Lebron to slam the ball through the hoop.

Not wasting anytime, Naruto calls for the inbound while sprinting down the court. He receives it just before half-court as Wade once again steps in his way. This time however, Naruto doesn't slow down. In fact, he speeds up even more as he crosses over to the left and sprints to the hoop. The time spent getting past Wade, though it is enough for Lebron to catch up to him. Both players race towards the rim.

Right before taking off into the air Naruto slows down to allow Lebron to fully catch up. Both players jump into the air with Lebron waiting for Naruto to release the ball so that he can smack it away. Naruto holds onto the ball until he feels the contact against his back. He hears the whistle blow as his body starts to tip forward.

The crowd watches in awe as Naruto brings the ball down with his right arm and throws it over his back into the basket for a 'and one'.

He once again makes his way over to the free-throw line with a calm exterior. Inside however, Naruto was ready to take the fight to Lebron.

On the Heat's next play Naruto and Lebron are jostling under the hoop to get the rebound. Lebron boxes out Naruto as the ball hits the rim and bounce higher into the air. Naruto allows his body to take over as he quickly spins around Lebron just as the ball starts its descent. Both players jump for the ball. Lebron gets his hands on it first only to have Naruto hit it out of bounds.

* * *

"Hey Kid, I'm back on the roster starting from the next game." Kobe calls out to Naruto in the gym. "Both the doc and I decided that I was finally back in peak condition. Now it's all about getting my match fitness back up to where it needs to be."

Naruto takes another ball from the rack besides him and shoots it from beyond the arc.

"That's all well and good but don't you think that you are rushing things a bit?"

"Good to know you care so much." Kobe responds with a roll of his eyes. "I'm not going to be starting right away. I'll be put on here and there but that's only for me to slowly integrate myself into the team again."

Naruto shoots one last ball before making his way over to the bench and grabbing a sports drink. He glances at Kobe as he takes a large gulp. Naruto throws the empty bottle away and turns his body until he is fully facing Kobe.

"I hope you know that I won't just bow down to you on the court. That might work with everyone else because they are scared of you but I'll never let anyone take the top spot away from me." Naruto says in a dead serious face, a look of clear determination on his face.

* * *

The crowd rise to their feet at the Staple Center to applaud Kobe as he steps back onto the court for the first time since his injury. Naruto stands on the court using the bottom of his top to wipe away a bit of sweat from his face. The game was going smooth for the Lakers. They were up in the 4th quarter by 12 points, lead the coach to bring Kobe in for some much needed minutes.

"How does it feel to be back on the court?" Naruto asks with a smirk.

"Quite good." Kobe answers as he makes his way pass Naruto. "Give me some easy shots to get me back in shape."

"That I can do." Naruto replies as he waits for the inbound.

Naruto catches the ball and walks his way up the court. From his position he could see that most of the opposing team was leaning more towards Kobe on the left side of the court. He drives for the hoop and scores an easy lay-up.

"You are going to have to get free if you want the ball in your hands." He says to Kobe.

On their next possession Kobe has the ball with a defender pressed up against him. He sees Naruto running towards him and quickly passes the ball. Naruto surprises Kobe by bouncing the ball just beyond the arc before setting up a screen on the defender to give Kobe some space. Wasting no time, Kobe steps towards the ball and jumps while setting his sights before releasing the ball and watching it rattle home.

"Thanks kid." Kobe says as they jog back to defend.

"No problem. They are going to be on you a lot so don't worry about defending too much. As so as they take a shot begin running down court and I'll get you the ball." Naruto says before he rushes away to put pressure on the opposing PG.

As the ball is passed to the player in front of Kobe, Naruto steps back onto the free-throw line to cover the inside lane. Kobe gives the player some space to shoot before quickly running down the court to the opposing hoop. Naruto watches the ball's trajectory and quickly takes a running jump to catch the rebound.

Naruto lands on the ground and throws a touch down pass to an open Kobe on the opposite side of the court, keeping his arm in the air for dramatic effect as he watches Kobe easily catch and lay-up the ball.

* * *

"Have the last few matches not been enough for you to admit just how good of a player Naruto is?" asks a bewildered Stephen A. to a sceptic Skip Bayless. "Even before Kobe came back, he has been able to lead the Lakers in a way very few players are able to lead a team. Never mind the fact that we are talking about a _rookie_."

"I still stand by what I have been saying since he got drafted! It is _too soon_ for us to be rating him as such a good player!" Skip responds. "We have not seen enough. He has not played enough. The two of them have only been playing for a short while together. Do you honestly expect me to believe that there won't be any infighting going on once Kobe is on the starting line-up again? Both of them are ball dominant players. I just can not see them being able to play together we both want to be the first scoring option on the team."

"But that's not what's been happening!" Stephen A. takes a breath to calm himself. "Both of them are _ballers_. With Kobe on the floor Naruto doesn't take on as much responsibility, allowing him the chance to develop at an even quicker rate. With Naruto on the floor Kobe has someone who can distribute the ball while also having the ability to score the basket if need be. Do I expect it to be smooth sailing? Of course not, this entire season is about strengthening the team for a championship run. I still expect them to make the play-offs and I still firmly believe that we are just scratching the surface of this kid, Naruto Namikaze.

* * *

 **Hey all. so this is one of the shorter chapters. sorry i have not updated in a long time. i know where i want this story to go but i just have problems filling in the events to get to where i want it to be. read and review to let me know what you think. i'll do my best to try and update every week or so**


	18. Chapter 17

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 17**

Naruto gazed out across the ocean as he watched the sun make its way above the horizon. He breathed in the fresh air and released a tired sigh. The past few months had been hectic for him with barely any days to rest. He was now playing 32 minutes per game, much more than he expected to be playing in his rookie year. He was almost positive that Kobe and Magic had convinced the higher-ups to give him more game time. Not that he was complaining or anything. His stats for the season so far were almost reaching those as the elites in the league: 23.8 points, 7.6 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.3 steals. He found out early on that he couldn't become a scoring machine yet due to the fact that he would tire himself out too quickly.

Things weren't all smooth sailing though. The Lakers were just holding on to the 7th seed in their conference. The west was packed with strong teams who were going to get stronger over the coming years if what Magic says is true. Even though he knew that they were planning to build around him, he was eternally grateful that he had Kobe there to guide him.

Speaking of Kobe… they had their ups and downs. Naruto would often get frustrated after not receiving the ball in open space while Kobe would shout at him when the ball would not get thrown to him. Before, training sessions involving the two of would be tough and competitive but fair. Now, however, it was rare to make it through a practice session without the two of them shouting at each other. It became such a common occurrence that the rest of the team and coaching staff just left them to deal with things on their own.

That's not to say that they haven't been playing well together. When game time came around the two of them were almost always in sync. Naruto was the team's most versatile player, being able to play three positions with ease and beginning to learn how to use his body when put in as a PF. He was also the player on the Lakers team who covered the most ground during games. His ability to score from anywhere, as well as being able to defend against most players, was getting him noticed as becoming a well-rounded two-way player.

He was broken out of his thoughts by being tackled to the ground by a big ball of red fur. He chuckled as he tried to get Kurama to let him up.

"Make sure not to injured him, Kurama." An angelic voice says as both man and fox stop wrestling to look at the owner of said voice.

'Alex' walks towards the pair while carrying a sleeping Himawari in her arms. Naruto couldn't keep the smile off of his face from seeing the sight before him. He takes no note of Kurama leaving him be to run towards 'Alex'.

"She's really tired after our girl's night." She says in a quiet voice with a soft smile upon her face. "Poor little thing had the time of her life."

Getting up off the ground and brushing the dirt off of himself, Naruto makes his way over to his two favourite girls and gently takes Himawari into his arms while placing a gentle kiss on Alex's cheek.

"Thanks again for looking after her. I know you can get real busy with work and stuff but she prefers being around you when I have a stretch of away games." He says quietly.

The make their way over to a bench and sit down, both content with the peaceful silence surrounding them.

"So, I was thinking…", Naruto starts and takes a deep breath, "…it's All-Star Weekend this week and I got an extra ticket left. My family will already be there but it would mean a lot to me if you would be there with them."

"Oh? Hima-hime didn't tell me you were playing in any of the games otherwise I would have gotten a ticket!" She whispers in an agitated voice.

"Hehe well," he uses a hand to rub the back of his head while the other is wrapped securely around his daughter, "I kinda told her not to say anything cause I wanted to give you a ticket. It's not like I'll be playing in the All-Star game, just the Rising Stars game and the 3-point challenge."

"He forgot to say that he also wants to introduce you to our family and friends." A tired voice speaks up, surprising the two adults.

"Naruto," Alex starts off hesitantly, "if I spend time with your family at the games then everyone will know that we are close. You'll also find out who I am."

"Yeah I know all that but I honestly couldn't care less at this point." Naruto says with a shrug of his shoulders. "Plus, I really do want to spend more time with you."

Alex turns her head away from the father-daughter duo so that they won't see her blushing face. She felt the same way as Naruto. The few months that the have known each other have been some of the best she ever had. Things just got better when she met Himawari and started spending vast amounts of time with the adorable little girl. The only damper on the entire experience was the need for secrecy as both she and Naruto thought it best to keep Himawari away from the media's attention as much as possible.

"I would love to meet everyone." She says with a tearful smile. "I would also love to spend more time with the two of you together."

* * *

Naruto walks into the Smoothie King Center surrounded by friends and family, Himawari on his shoulders and Kurama walking at his side. Everyone was decked out in Naruto's Laker's memorabilia. Even Kurama had on a custom made jersey.

"Troublesome… everyone gather around so I can get this over with as soon as possible." All the guys tried to hide their laughter at Shika's reluctance at taking charge. "We were fortunate enough to get tickets for everyone, so we have a big group with us here today. Mr Hirai managed to get us all together quite close to the court so the camera will be on _a lot_. Make sure you are using Sony products as much as possible as well as showing off our Naruto merchandise. Ruto, when is your guest arriving?"

"No idea." He says with a shrug. "Himawari will know when she's here."

"Okay, I'll have Hima-hime keep me posted. Sakura, there'll be a wheelchair close by in case you need to go anywhere."

A heavily pregnant Sakura gave Shikamaru a grateful nod.

"Okay guys," Naruto says as he hands Himawari over to Kakashi, "I'm going to get ready for the games."

Naruto secures his bag on his back and makes his way over to the locker rooms as his family and friends make their way to their seats to enjoy the All-Star weekend.

* * *

"Everyone, please stand up and give a loud cheer for our 4 semi-finalists!" the crowd rises to their feet with shouts of encouragement.

Naruto, Kyle Korver, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry made their way to the middle of the court as they raised their hands in acknowlengement of the cheering crowd, all four men easily making it past the preliminaries. It was now a battle between the shooters of the Lakers and the Warriors.

"The first match-up will be between Klay Thompson and Naruto Namikaze. Kyle Korver and Stephen Curry will battle it out right after the winner of the first match-up is decided."

Naruto, Kyle, and Curry make their way over to the bench as Klay takes up his starting position. Naruto crosses his arms and closes his eyes in an attempt to focus himself. He knew there was no point in watching Klay since he already knew that he was going to be given a tough time from the remaining three guys in the competiton.

"Man, I can't wait to play against Klay."

Broken out of his thoughts, he sends a confused look to the man sitting on his right.

"What do you mean? Neither you or Klay have won yet."

"No offense to you guys, you are actually really good, but me and Klay aren't called the splash brothers for nothing." Stephen Curry says with an innocent smile on his face.

"That doesn't mean you are going to win though." Naruto answers back with irritation laced in his voice. "Kyle and myself could just as easily make it to the finals and face off against each other."

Curry can't help himself and let's loose an amused chuckle, further angering Naruto and even managing to make a slight sneer appear on the face of the normally calm Kyle Korver.

"Calm down Rookie." Curry says with a roll of his eyes. "All I'm saying is that it's still too early for you to be playing with the big boys."

He feels the tight control he holds over his anger begin to loosen just a bit and for once does nothing to gain it back. He was tired of some of the superstars in the league not taking him seriously. Even, if it was just his rookie season, Naruto knew that he was playing at a higher level than what most of them were when they started out. It angered him that they would not take him seriously and he was finally going to do something about it.

Naruto could feel his body start to heat up with anger. He stands up and begins to rip off his tracksuit in preparation for his turn. He steps onto the court as Klay makes his way over to the bench. With his back towards Curry he tilts his head to the side and says in a quiet voice so only Curry can hear.

"This is one of those moments where you should…"

Naruto walks towards the starting ball rack, ignoring all attempts made by the crowd to get a reaction out of him. The crowd, noticing the look of irritation on his face, begins to quiet down. Everyone in the stadium feels the tension in the build rise as they gaze upon Naruto. He ignores everything happening around him as he sinks deeper and deeper into his primal state of mind, concentration levels rising higher and higher.

He grabs the first ball and releases the shot just as the buzzer goes off for him to begin. Naruto pays no attention as it rattles through the hoop, already going through the motions for his second shot. He misses the second and third shot but manages to sink the fourth. He grabs the money ball and shoots it before racing to the next rack while the ball is still in the air.

He gets to the second rack as the money ball bounces off the rim. He grabs a ball but rushes through his shot and misses the basket completely. He manages to make his next two shots but misses the last two. Running towards the third rack his eyes gaze at the bench, making contact with a smirking Stephen Curry.

Naruto growls, grabbing a ball and sinking it before doing the same to the next one. He rushes through the next two, missing both of them. It was the sound of Curry's laughter that finally caused his anger to boil over. His face falls into a half-lidded bored expression, a clear indication for those who know him that he has now stopped holding back. Grabbing the money ball of from the third rack, his body smoothly goes through the motions of his jump shot. The ball barely leaves his hands before he casually jogs to the fourth rack.

His surroundings fade away as he becomes entirely focused on the basket before him. First shot, banks it in. Second shot, rattles it home. Third shot, rattles home. Fourth shot, gets a lucky bounce into the basket. Money ball shot, nothing but net.

As he makes his towards the money rack his body begins moving on its own. As if he were having an out of body experience, Naruto was able to see himself reach the rack, grab a ball, and face the basket. The sight before him causing him to hesitate in awe. Sweat was pouring down his emotionless face, eyes opened wide due to the amount of concentration being generated. Naruto would never be sure of this fact but in that particular moment, gazing at himself in a way that nobody else could, he though he might have seen the faint sign of lightning sparking from his eyes.

 _ **Splash**_

 _ **Splash**_

 _ **Splash**_

 _ **Splash**_

 _ **Splash**_

The crowd erupts into cheers as Naruto turns around on the spot and spreads his arms out wide, a shocked Stephen Curry in front of him.

"…sit down and shut the fuck up."

Klay 21:24 Naruto

* * *

Cameras were flashing as Curry and Naruto stood centre court, waiting for the coin to get tossed to decide who would go first. After Naruto's aggressive statement to Curry the media had been having a field day with the growing rivalry between the two. For some reason, many of the reports and commentators were painting Naruto in bad light. Naruto couldn't say that this surprised him. Ever since draft night the media have always tried to make him look like the villain.

"You should've just kept quiet Rookie." Curry calls out as the ref tosses the coin into the air. "Cause you tried to be the hero I had to crush your teammate. Now it'll be your turn."

As much as Naruto hated to admit it, Curry had completely destroyed Kyle in the semi-finals. While Kyle managed to score a good 20 points, Curry caught fire early and managed to score a ridiculous 26 points, posting a new 3-point contest record.

"I'll go first, ref." Curry says before he even looks at the coin. "Don't want the little Rookie to feel like he has to do too much." He says with an arrogant smirk.

Seething in anger, Naruto sits on the bench and waits for Curry to start his shooting clinic. It made him even angrier to admit but Stephen Curry really was one of the best shooters he has ever seen. A lot of the shots that were made did not even seem as if any effort was being applied. Curry simply looked to be enjoying himself, playing off of the crowd and just running around with an idiotic smile upon his face.

Curry releases his last shot, equalling his score from the previous round, and turns to face Naruto while pointing at him, making a talking motion with his hand.

"You talk to much Rookie!" Curry says much to the cheers of the crowd. "Its too soon for you to be coming for the league!"

Naruto didn't realise he was moving towards Curry until he felt a pair of arms wrap around him and hold him in place. He turns his head to shout at the person holding him back and feels his jaw drop down in shock at seeing those behind him.

"Daiki? Shintaro?" Naruto asks in disbelief. "What the fuck are you guys doing here?"

Daiki releases Naruto and steps back with that ever present smirk still on his face.

"What's this I see? I came here to see you show up all these weaklings and yet all I see is you losing your shit over some foolish comments made by someone dubbed the 'baby-faced assassin'?" Daiki questions with clear confusion. "What kind of nickname is that anyway? Its not threatening at all!"

"What Aomine neglects to state is that we are in America for personnel reasons." Shintaro says as he pushes his glasses back into place, tape wrapped around his fingers as always."

"Oh? You'll have to tell me everything after I'm day for the day." Naruto says as he turns his attention back towards Curry. Clenching his fists at his sides, Naruto begins to concentrate on the upcoming task of setting a new 3-point record. "I need to go put this dude in his place."

"You won't be able to." Daiki says in a bored tone, Shintaro and Naruto snap their heads in his direction. "Don't give me that look." He says with a roll of his eyes.

"What you mean I won't beat him?"

"You are holding back." Daiki says with a shrug. "You are still thinking too much. Its why you haven't been able to reach that stage I told you about. Until you can actually admit that you are hiding away a part of yourself, you won't be able to progress to where you want to go."

"I don't have time for this, Daiki."

Naruto walks towards the starting point, glaring at Curry all the way.

* * *

"So… anybody have any idea what just happened there?" Asked a very bewildered Obito.

"He wasn't in the right mindset." Jiraiya answers.

"It almost seems as if he was looking for something as he took each shot." Kakashi says as he goes back to reading his book.

Himawari watches with a worried look on her face as Naruto walks down the tunnel to the locker rooms. She knew her dad well enough to know that the smile on his face was anything but real.

"What's wrong, Little One?" a soft unfamiliar voice made the entire family pause. "Wanna come with me to go visit your dad?"

Himawari and Kurama jump up, surprising the entire family and catching the attention of various surrounding people, and run towards the owner of the voice.

"Alex!" Himawari screams with glee as she launches herself at the newcomer. Both girls squeal in happiness as the hug each other, drawing even more attention from those around them. Cameras start flashing as reporters race to see what all the commotion is about.

Just as it looks like the pair is about to be crowded by reporters looking for a scoop, Kurama jumps in front of them and growls menacing at everyone he deems a threat, the crowd freeze in tracks as the face down a wolf sized fox with its hackles raised in warning. Himawari and Alex ignore everyone else entirely as they focus on catching each other on what has been happening in the few days since they were last together.

"Tou-san seems upset." Himawari says with worry.

"I know. I tried getting his attention as he left the court but it seems as if he wasn't taking note of anything around." Alex responds as she holds Himawari's hand. "Let's go surprise him."

The girls walk away from everyone, holding hands and chatting away without a care in the world. Kurama growls one last time at the crowd of fans and reporters before trotting off behind the pair as their silent protector.

Naruto's friends and family watch in shocked silence as Himawari walks away without a word. The come out of their daze as cameras start flashing all around them. Pictures are being taken along with questions being shouted to gain information.

"Troublesome… you'd think he'd at least tell his manager that he was seeing a celebrity." Shikamaru sighs. "Now I have to deal with all this bullshit."

Shika gets up from his seat and makes his way over to the crowd in order to do as much damage control as possible.

"Lucky bastard." Kiba says under his breath with many of those who heard him nodding their heads in agreement.

* * *

The first thing they see as they walk into the locker room is the sight of Naruto sitting against his locker with a towel upon his face. They look at each other before making their way to him as silently as possible, sitting on either side of him and wrapping their arms around. Naruto tenses for just a second at the contact before relaxing as he feels the familiar embrace of his two favourite girls.

The trio sit in silence for a bit, just basking in each others' presence as a watchful Kurama stands guard by the door.

"Don't worry, Tou-san." Himawari says as she tightens her arms around him.

"It just one game, Naruto." Alex says as she gently takes the towel off of his face. "You'll have many more opportunities to show everyone that you are the best."

Naruto gives them a grateful smile and wraps his arms around them. The girls started giggling as they try to get out of his hold.

"Naruto let go!" Alex says as she loses herself in a fit of giggles.

"Yeah Tou-san, you are all sweaty." Himawari finally gets out of his hold and stands in front of him with her hands on her hips. She tries to put on her sternest expression, which the adults just find adorable. "You need to go shower."

Naruto laughs at his daughter acting like the parent again.

"Okay Hima-hime, whatever you say. I just need to check my phone first. Go back sit back with the family so long and I'll catch up with you when I'm done." He rummages around in his locker as the girls make their way towards the door. "Oh and Hima-hime," the girls pause and look at Naruto to see him scrolling through his phone, "make sure you properly introduce everyone to Selena, okay?"

The girls freeze in shock as they look at him with shock clearly written on their faces. He smiles at them and shows them a video of Himawari and Selena hugging each other on his phone with a caption reading: **ROMANCE ON THE COURT FOR SELENA GOMEZ AND NARUTO NAMIKAZE?**

* * *

 **SO SHE'S FINALLY BEEN REVEALED! Well done for those of you who guessed it. Some won't be happy with the choice but it's my story. The drama won't stop now that she's been revealed.**

 **Sorry that this chapter took so long. I completed it a few days ago but after re-reading it I didn't like the where the story was going. It looked like almost all other NBA fanfiction on here. So i decided to change things up and this is the best i could do without losing my mind over plot and everything.**

 **SPOILER ALERT: this is not just a one season** **fan fiction. I'm trying to go for a lengthy read.**

 **I just have to also add this last message: the way i portray certain people in this story is not how i really feel about them (in most cases). it is all for plot.**

 **As always, please read and review. i'm good with all kinds of** **criticism as long as its constructive.**


	19. Chapter 18

**I do not own any of the Naruto or Kuroko no Basuke characters. Their ownership resides solely with** **Masashi Kishimoto and Tadatoshi Fujimaki.**

Normal speech - "Kurama"

Flashback – _kurama_

Sound effects – _**kurama**_

 **Chapter 18**

The door of the Namikaze house bangs open as Shikamaru and Selena run into the house. It doesn't take them long to find the entire family as they sit in shocked silence, only broken the weeping sounds of Himawari as she cleans to Shizune. The men were standing on one side of the room while the women were surrounding Shizune and Sakura as they tried to calm down Himawari and recently born Sarada. Selena rushes over and takes Himawari into her arms, hugging the little girl tight against her chest as she whispers reassurances to the distressed child.

"Where is he?" Shikamaru asks quietly to a stoic .

"I don't know." Kakashi says with a shake of his head. "He never said a word. Got up a few minutes before you got here and left the house."

"We should have done something about this a long time ago." Kiba growls as he paces up and down, the anger radiating off of him making him seem even more feral than usual.

"You know we had no options back then." Sasuke says, eyes never leaving his wife and child. "We all would have been in serious trouble if we tried anything."

"So we just allow this to go on?" Obito questions with icily.

"No." All eyes turn towards Jiraiya as he looks out the window into the sky, his posture one of nonchalance as he downs whatever drink is in his glass. "No, we will not do anything. Kiba is right, we should have done something about this a long time ago." The glass in his hand shatters as he clenches his fist, his posture never changing even as the air around him becomes charged with bloodlust.

"We can't focus on the past." Kakashi speaks up as he turns a page of the novel in his hands. "What we need to do now is focus on solving the issue at hand. Once that is done," Kakashi looks up at everyone in the room as his eyes glint over with rage, "we make sure no one ever thinks of hurting this family again."

* * *

"…and that's everything that happened. Today's game will be my last for this season.." Naruto finishes telling his tale to Kobe, Magic, and the GM. He stands up and bows to both of them. "I'm sorry for causing you so much problems. I will abide by whatever the franchise decides to do."

Naruto walks out of the office, leaving behind three men lost in their thoughts.

"This is going to be a PR nightmare once it hits the news." The GM says as he rubs the sides of his head to try and release some of the tension in his body. "We have to decide what is best for this franchise."

"If things do not work out, it'll be a tarnish that will take a very long time for people to get over." Magic says.

"But," Kobe responds as he looks towards both men, "if we stick by him and he makes it through, we gain the loyalty of a someone who has the potential to become one of the greatest players in basketball."

"We have already invested a lot of time and resources into making him someone who will be the face of this franchise for years to come." Magic points out. "From what we just heard, there is a good chance that things will eventually work out."

"Yes, but are we willing to take that risk." The GM holds up a hand to forestall either man from responding. "I know how both of you feel about the kid. This is not a decision that should be made likely! We have to take out personal feelings here and ask ourselves a very important question. Shit will hit the fan no matter what the outcome is… are we willing and able to deal with any and all repercussions that will surface because of this?"

Neither Kobe nor Magic are able to give an answer right away, both knowing that to make a rash decision in this very moment could have drastic drawbacks later down the line.

* * *

"After what has been an exciting season so far, we have now made it to the final night of the regular season. With a number of matches being played tonight, most eyes out there will be tuning in to watch tonight's match between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers. The entire NBA will be watching to see if Naruto Namikaze will be able to keep his promise of carrying the Lakers to the play-offs. Gentlemen, your thoughts on the matter?"

"I want it to be known," Skip Bayless starts off, "that I admire Naruto for what he has done this season. For a rookie to carry a franchise as big as the Lakers on his shoulders for most of the season, and managing to get them to this point is nothing short of astounding. However, I do not believe that the Lakers, even with a healthy Kobe Bryant, will be able to beat my Spurs tonight. The Spurs right now are a 61 – 20 team! They have the dangerous combination of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker as the corner stone of the team with a young up and coming Kawhi Leonard who is proving to be a fantastic two-way player. I am sorry but tonight will mark the end of the season for the Lakers."

"First off, I'd like to say that I agree with almost everything you have just said, Skip Bayless. _However_ ," Stephen A. Smith says with passion, "you seem to be forgetting that the Lakers have a _5 time NBA champion_ on their team! Kobe Bryant is someone who thrives off of these life and death moments. Naruto only has to help get the Lakers into a position to fight for the win in the 4th quarter.

And speaking of Naruto… he has easily won this year's Rookie Of The Year. With stats like 21.4 ppg, 9.1 apg, 6.0 rpg, and 2.9 spg, no other rookie is even in the discussion."

"I agree, Naruto Namikaze will definitely win the award. That does not mean that he will be able to tip the scales into the Laker's favour. Too much is stacked against him."

* * *

Kobe walks into the arena for his pre-game workout, hoping to take his mind off of the Naruto situation. He pauses in his stride as the sound of a basketball bouncing on the court reaches his ears.

"So this is where you've been hiding all day." Kobe says with a sigh. He steps onto the court and takes note of all the basketballs lying around. In the middle of it all, sweat pouring off of his frame, is Naruto dribbling the a ball at a pace most would never be able to keep up with.

"I wouldn't call it hiding." Naruto says as he continues to dribble the ball at a frantic pace in the middle of the court. "More like keeping myself locked up in case I do something I might regret later on."

"You should slow down." Kobe says as he begins shooting from the free-throw line. "You'll tire yourself out before the game even starts."

"You're probably right." Naruto says in reply, giving no indication of slowing down his routine. "I can't help it though. I feel like if I slow down for even the tiniest bit, I'll lose my mind."

Naruto dribbles the ball faster, adding more force every time it touches a hand. Kobe closes his eyes and waits for the inevitable to happen. It isn't long before the ball stops bouncing and the only sound that can be heard in the arena is the frantic pants of Naruto. He turns around to look at his young protégé and looks upon him with sadness and concern in his eyes.

Naruto stands with his head thrown back, gazing at the ceiling as his fists shake from how hard he is clenching them. Its clear that he is barely holding on to whatever restraint he still has and it honestly scares Kobe to see him so close to breaking down.

"I made a promise once." Naruto says quietly, his voice sounding louder than normal in the quiet arena. "A promise to look after my daughter. A promise to make sure no harm would ever come to her. To provide for her. To love her. Protect her." He doesn't even try to hide the raw emotion in his voice, long past the point of caring. "I almost lost myself when my parents were suddenly taken away from me. I became someone I barely recognized. I lived and thrived off of my anger. I allowed my rage to take over and I honestly had no problem taking down anyone who stood in my way. If it wasn't for Hinata, I have no doubt I would have eventually taken things too far. Then the accident happened and I was unable to save the one who kept me grounded. The only thing that kept me from taking my own life was my new born daughter and now I find out that someone is trying to take her away from me as well?"

"Naruto, you can't let fear and sadness dictate your actions. What you need to-"

"Fear and sadness?" Naruto cuts off Kobe with a humourless laugh. "I can assure you that what I'm feeling right now is no where near fear or sadness. I tried my best to set the absolute best example for my daughter. I forced myself to lock up and cage a part of me I never wanted my daughter to witness. Because of that, I became complacent, allowing people the opportunity to hurt my family." Naruto begins walking off the court towards the locker room as Kobe watches him wearily. "I'm tired, Kobe. I'm tired of holding back… of keeping the beast at bay. I'm dangerous…" Naruto turns to send a sad smile towards Kobe. "…and I think its time to remind everyone of that fact."

* * *

The Lakers' fans were cheering their loudest, doing everything they could to will their team to a win and a place in the play-offs. Naruto's family were cheering as well even though a tense atmosphere surrounded them. Hiruzen was holding a very quiet Himawari in his lap. No one had seen a glimpse of Naruto since yesterday and they were all anxious to make sure he was okay. However, as soon as they saw him take to the court for tip-off, it was instantly known by all of them that they were about to see something very different from what they were used to.

"He was finally pushed too far." Sasuke says solemnly. "It was bound to happen eventually but still…"

"We all wished that it would never occur." Hiruzen says with a nod of his head. "He always did his best to never allow his smile to disappear."

"Back then," Kakashi says, "basketball was an outlet."

"Now, he'll use it as a tool to send a message." Jiraiya finishes.

Naruto was lined up with the rest of the starting line-up as the national anthem played through the speakers of the arena. He had his head bowed and eyes closed as he waited for the match to get underway. Those who looked at him had no idea the effort he was putting forth into holding up his calm exterior.

"You good to go, kid?' Kobe asks as they take off their tracksuits and step back onto the court.

"Can I ask a favour?" Naruto replies, completely ignoring Kobe's question. "I know you are first option but would it be okay if we switched roles for tonight?"

"You sure you can handle it?" Kobe questions cautiously. "You had quite the workout earlier."

"Don't worry about me." Naruto says as he walks to his spot on the court. "Today I'm feeling dangerous."

His body was restless, twitching every other second with suppressed energy. He could feel anger boiling just under the surface and for once was allowing it to course through his veins without interruption.

Pau wins the air battle and tips it towards Naruto who catches it at full sprint. Before the Spurs even have a moment organise their defense, he is already soaring through the air to slam the ball home. Naruto hangs off the rim for a second longer before letting go and landing lightly on his feet.

The face that greets everyone as he turns around is not one any of them are used to seeing. His face still held the bored look that it usually does when he is on fire, however the intense look in his eyes gave pause to everyone who gazed into their depths. Naruto was ready to takeover the game like he never had before.

On defense Naruto was put in charge of guarding Tony Parker. He presses up right against Parker and continuously reaches for the ball, making sure not to touch Parker with his hands. Naruto senses a screen being placed right behind him and quickly spins around it to sprint towards the paint. He outstretches his arm and manages to slap away the pass meant for Tim Duncan.

Kobe catches the ball and runs down the court. Kawhi Leonard gets in front of him, slowing him down and forcing him to go into a post up position.

"Hey!"

Kobe bounces the ball into Naruto's hands and watches as he streaks to the basket. Naruto jumps up to go for another dunk but is met in the air by Duncan. Without thought he brings the ball down and passes it into the hands of an open Kyle Korver.

Naruto stays on the opponents' side of the court as the ball is waiting to be inbound. He hassles Parker all the way down the court, leaving him no option but to pass the ball. Naruto sticks on Parker the entire possession, not allowing him to become a part of the play.

When the Lakers get the ball Naruto holds up his hand to signal that he wants a 1v1 with Parker. As everyone moves to the right side of the court, he leads Parker into empty space on the left side.

Using his left hand to dribble the ball, Naruto drives towards the baseline at a speed that surprises everyone watching. While Parker struggles to keep up Naruto comes to a dead stop, twisting his upper body so he can spin back the way he came. Parker stumbles over his feet in an attempt to change direction only to fall onto his hands and knees as feints him and carries on to the hoop for an easy dunk.

The crowd surge to its feet at the amazing play pulled off by the super rookie.

"Pau," Naruto calls out as the jog back for defense, "on our next possession, bring Duncan to the top of the key and then switch marks with me."

"Okay." Pau says without hesitation, having complete faith in his rookie.

After the Spurs manage to score the basket, Nash receives the ball and dribbles it up court until he past the halfway court. Sending a nod towards Pau, Naruto manages to move his defender into Pau's screen, forcing Duncan to guard Naruto at the top of the key just as Nash passes the ball. Again the crowd roar in approval as Naruto catches the ball and holds it in front of his body as he stares down Duncan.

Naruto settles his feet and relaxes his body for a split second before taking off and driving past Duncan. He passes the ball between his legs and steps back behind the three-point line as Duncan does a complete 360 as he loses Naruto shoots a ball that catches nothing but net.

On defense it was Naruto's turn to guard Kawhi. Both players were standing in the left hand corner before Kawhi sprints towards the top of the key while Duncan sets up a screen on Naruto. Leonard catches the ball and pulls up for a quicker jumper. Just as the ball leaves his hands, Naruto comes soaring through the air to smack it down to a surprised Kobe.

Kobe sprints down the court towards the opposing basket but is slowed down by Parker who manages to get in front of him. He drives left, with Parker sticking with him, only to throw the ball behind his back in the opposite direction. Naruto catches the ball behind the three-point line and quickly releases a shot. The crowd goes wild as both Naruto and Kobe turn away from the basket before the ball is even in the net.

For the rest of the game, whenever he was on the court, Naruto was a demon to the Spurs. Normally his speed alone would be enough to beat almost any player on the court but today he was adding hesitations into his movements. His ability to go from full sprint to dead stop was enough to unsettle anyone trying to guard him and just when it would seem they managed to gather themselves he would jump back into a full sprint again.

It was the middle of the 3rd quarter and Naruto already had 36 points to his name, 36 points that were keeping the Lakers in reaching distance of the Spurs. What surprised everyone even more was the defensive showcase he was displaying against the Spurs. No matter whom he guarded, Naruto managed to unsettle them so much that they would be force to pass the ball all rush a shot. Both of these options proved to be costly as Kobe, having caught on to Naruto's plan in the 2nd quarter, was always ready to pounce on any sloppy pass; while Pau was having the game of his season as he battled it out with Tim Duncan for the rebounds. This wasn't enough though. The Lakers were barely holding on to a single digit deficit. Even though Naruto was playing his absolute heart out, the Spurs were keeping the ball away from him as much as they possibly could.

However, playing at such a high level was once again taking its toll on Naruto. Sweat was pouring off of his body at an alarming right as he struggled to get air into his lungs, pushing his body past its limits every time he used a quick burst of speed to lose his marker or catch up to the player he was guarding.

"Kid, you need to calm down!" Kobe says in frustration during a time out.

"I can't… Almost there." Naruto replies distractedly as he pants in gulps of air. He stops listening to everything else around him as he mumbles under his breath. "Just a bit… more. Need to… push even more than this."

Ignoring the coache's call to stay on the bench, Naruto stumbles his way back onto the court to receive the inbound. He passes the ball to Nash and slowly jogs his way into a corner, struggling to get air into his lungs all the way. So focused on breathing, he is late to react to a pass. Attempting to catch the ball, he fumbles it right into the hands of Leonard.

Naruto tries his best to sprint back but as he takes a step forward, his vision blurs until everything becomes black as he falls towards the ground…

'Huh… looks like I'm about to lose again.'

…

…

…

" _Daiki, before I forget, there are times where I think I see lightning flowing from your eyes. What's up with that?"_

 _Daiki takes a while to gather his thoughts before looking towards Naruto._

" _What do you know about 'the Zone' or 'the Wild'?"_

" _The hell are those?"_

 _Daiki stands up and grabs the ball laying by his feet_

" _Think of it like this." He says as he spins the ball on a finger. "Normally, when a player is playing to the best of his abilities, there is always a cap on how much a player is able to push his body physically or how high a player is able to mentally push his concentration levels. That cap is what separates the great players from the really good one. With both, you have to be willing to leave_ everything _on the court._

 _The Zone has a trigger, a trigger that is different for everyone. No one can help you with that. The Wild, however, is a simple concept that's extremely hard to pull off. You have to believe in your style of play more than anything else. You are only able to enter the Wild when you stop relying on everyone else completely. Its life or death. Its when you have pushed your body to its absolute limits and find that its still not enough."_

 _Daiki dribbles the ball for a bit before bringing his right arm back and throwing it against the backboard and into the net._

" _Its not about belief in yourself. Don't get it confused. To you it has to be a_ fact! _When you step onto the court you_ are _the best player. When a play needs to be made you_ will _make it. You having to stop thinking and just let your body do what it wants to do. Natural instinct."_

…

…

…

The Lakers rush back to defend the basket as Kawhi throws a pass to Parker. Kobe manages to get in front of Parker, forcing him to pass it to a wide open Duncan who has a clear path to the hoop _._ Just as Duncan is about to slam the ball through the hoop, Naruto comes soaring through the air, head above the rim, and spikes the ball out of bounds with authority.

The arena is silent as Naruto lands back on the court, knees bent to absorb the pressure of falling from such a height. Everyone looking at him could just about see steam rising off of his body. He turns around to face the players on the court, scaring them all with the bloodthirsty grin on his face and the dangerous glint in his eyes.

"I did tell you that I felt particularly dangerous today." Naruto says as he makes eye contact with Kobe.

Naruto bounces on the balls of his feet as he waits for the Spurs to inbound the ball. He was marking Kawhi but could tell that the Spurs were trying to keep the ball as far away from him as possible. He sees Duncan get away from Pau and hands out his hands for the inbound. Before it even touches his hands Naruto is already moving off his mark to intercept him. Duncan goes through the motions for his signature banked shot but as the ball swatted down court by Naruto once again.

Landing on his feet, Naruto takes off after the ball at a speed faster than anyone has ever seen him move before. He catches after to the ball before anyone else is even past half-court. He races into the lane on the right hand side and jumps into the air, twisting his body in the air to perform a 720 dunk, something that is fast becoming his signature dunk.

Kobe intercepts the ball on the Spurs' next play and quickly passes it to a running Naruto. Kawhi steps in front of Naruto to stop him but Naruto pays little attention to him and makes a move to drive past him on his left side. Naruto senses Kawhi reach in to steal the ball from him so he throws it behind his back before spinning around and driving past on the right side. The moment is enough for another defender to jump in front of Naruto only for Naruto to jump away from him at throw the ball at the basket with his right hand, watching as the ball rattles itself home.

Entering the final two minutes of the game the Lakers managed to claw their way into a 4 point lead, mostly due to the demon on the court that was Naruto.

Nash is at the free-throw line, shooting the second of two free-throws. As the ball leaves his hands Naruto explodes forward, jumping higher than anyone else to slam the ball into the hoop after it bounces off the rim.

Naruto stands in front of Kawhi at the top of the key, arms dangling in front of him in a nonchalant manner. Kawhi tries to drive to the rim, using his body to shield the ball. Naruto keeps up with him and manages to keep his feet planted on the ground as Kawhi tries to fake him. When the ball is brought back down within reach distance, Naruto takes one step around Kawhi and taps it out of his hands.

He manages to get it before it goes out of bounds and races down the court. Duncan takes up position under the rim, intent on stopping Naruto. Naruto picks up even more speed as he rushes towards Duncan. Both players jump into the air at the same time but Naruto's explosive power propels him above Duncan. With momentum gathered from the speed used to get down the court, Naruto collides mid-air with Duncan, pushing back the larger defender while slamming the ball through the hoop.

Duncan stumbles back and hits the protective padding of the hoop as the whistle bows for the and-one, falling onto his ass as Naruto steps over to him.

Naruto sinks the free-throw before he makes his way over to the bench as the coach calls for a time out. Naruto walks past the bench and into the tunnel with his head bowed, ignoring any and all attempts of those trying to gain his attention.

 **Bzzzzzzzzt**

The buzzer goes off a short while later, indicating a win for the Lakers. The chant of 'kitsune' reverberates around the arena. Up on the score bored Naruto's impressive stats for the game are displayed for everyone to see.

53 points, 6 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals.

* * *

 **BREAKING NEWS!**

"This just in. Los Angeles Lakers' superstar rookie, Naruto Namikaze, is to be charged with assault of one Hiashi Hyuga and kidnapping of his daughter, Hinata Hyuga. The young star is scheduled to appear in court sometime next week, affectively ruling him out of the roster for the first round of play-offs."

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* * *

 **PLOT TWIST! so there's the next chapter. took awhile to get it down but i feel like its the best version i could envision right now. as always, let me know what you think in the reviews. as said before, this isn't just a one season story. there is more that will be happening throughout the next few chapters. i don't yet know how i will integrate everything but it should be fun. read and review**


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